


and they lay, forgotten

by faearchive



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marauders Era - Fandom
Genre: Death Eaters, First War with Voldemort, Good Regulus Black, Hufflepuff, Marauders, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Multi, Slytherin, marauders fanfiction, regulus x oc, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:34:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26836018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faearchive/pseuds/faearchive
Summary: their ending is set: regulus black and thea knightley give themselves to the first wizarding war, quietly attempting to make the world a better place.but first: their love story.[ MARAUDERS ERA ][OC X REGULUS BLACK ]
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Regulus Black/Original Female Character(s), Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 14
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

_Thea,_

_It wasn’t the wrong time, it was exactly the right time._

_I was drowning before you snuck your way in with your brash attitude and dedication, and smacked me out of it. You saw the quiet boy at the back of the classroom, and I can never thank you enough for saving me. You’re the hero of my story, the air in my lungs, and you left your mark on me._

_I never thought my silly crush on that one Hufflepuff would grow into such an intense love. And even if I wish I could have even one extra minute with you, I wouldn’t change anything. We’re broken, but so beautiful, in the mangled, ugly fucking life we got dealt._

_You’re my first love, my last love, and I am never going to stop loving you._

_I know that you can’t handle all this soppy shit, but do not fret, you can roll your eyes and fake-gag at me in the next life. I know we’ll find each other there. My soul will find yours in every lifetime, in every dimension, so I’m afraid you're not quite rid of me yet._

_I’ll do my part for this war, and you do yours, and I’ll meet you soon, Love._

_Yours forever and always,_

**_R.A.B_ **

— circa December, 1979

* * *

**Y** **EAR 6**

_

**AUTUMN**

“I wonder sometimes whether you've exploded already, like a star, and what I'm seeing is you three million years into the past, and you're not here any more. How can we be together here, now, when you are so far away? When you are so far ago? I'm shouting so loudly, but you never turn around to see me. Perhaps it is I who have already exploded. Either way, we are going to bring beautiful things into the universe.”

― **Alice Oseman, RADIO SILENCE**

* * *

**ONE **

**A** s a Hufflepuff, it was truly tragic that Thea looked bad in yellow. 

“See what did I tell you!" She huffed as she met Lily Evans outside the Gryffindor common room. "Help me, please, I look dreadful."

Lily chuckled, which Thea did not find amusing, when Lily was standing there looking stunning, her deep red hair sitting prettily, and her burgundy dress cinching her waist, before flowing out loosely to her knees. Meanwhile, Thea looked like a cheese triangle. “Don’t be so dramatic,” Lily said, “You look beautiful.”

Thea started shaking Lily’s shoulders violently. “I don’t need you to be nice and polite, I need you to give me a dress.”

It was the Slug Club’s welcome back dinner tonight, and her dress may have been fashionable with it’s shoulder-pads and tight skirt, but it seriously did her no favours. Except for her arse, it looked fantastic.

She adored her foster mum Lizzie, which she had now stayed with for the last two summers, but Lizzie was all for Hufflepuff pride, being a Hufflepuff herself at her own time at Hogwarts, but combined this with love for the latest trends. When Thea had asked if she could possibly get some fancier dresses for Slug Club events and the like, Lizzie had been ecstatic. She was so enthusiastic that Thea didn’t have the heart to refuse any of her choices, but now she was regretting her lack of assertiveness. She didn’t want to be vain but she just couldn’t go to this dinner in her yellow monstrosity. She already felt out of place in the club as it was.

“Calm down,” Lily said as she tried to get out of Thea’s clutches, “You’re going to give me a whiplash.”

She sighed, letting her go. “Can I please, please borrow a dress? Do you have anything that would fit me?”

“Of course, come on we’ll go have a look.” Lily said, and Thea was about to point out the slight issue that they were in different houses, but Lily had already turned around to the portrait of a fat woman and said the password. She ushered Thea into her common room, the portrait closing behind them. Issue solved then. 

Some people looked up at the flash of yellow as they hurried through the intensely crimson room, but nobody questioned Thea. She drank in as much as she could of the common room as they headed through and up to Lily’s dorm. There were less plants, and more fires, but it was just as cosy and homely as the Hufflepuff common room.

Thea didn’t say that she still preferred her own common room.

When in Lily’s room, Lily immediately went to her wardrobe and started flinging options onto the bed for Thea. “So we’ve not actually managed to catch up,” They’d only been back at Hogwarts since yesterday, and considering their year and house difference it was understandable that they hadn’t spoken apart from a brief hello in the first-day-back chaos. Yet Lily’s tone was almost apologetic. “But how are you?! How’s your summer been?”

Thea immediately lightened up, her positive attitude burning. She always let herself enjoy life when it was kind to her, refusing to bow to the cool-ness of not caring. (At least she tried not to be affected.) So she let her enthusiasm show as she spilled. “Oh it was so good, Lily, you have no idea. We went to France, it’s the first time I’ve been out of the UK, and my foster dad went to Beauxbatons before he moved over here for his job, so he knew all the great magical spots. We saw his family home and it was so gorgeous, even the streets were beautiful. I loved it so much.”

Lily was smiling encouragingly at her so she continued, glad she wasn’t annoying Lily. “Then the Potters offered for me to visit, you know because I stayed with them the summer after my first year? Sirius went to stay with them, he got a bit lonely in his new flat, so they owl-ed me like _come, come the more the merrier_. “

Lily suddenly became particularly invested with the dress she had just taken out of her wardrobe, fiddling with the hem. “The Potters, as in James?”

“Yes, Lily, of course, as in James. What other Potters would Sirius and I stay with?” Thea couldn’t help but grin. “Why? You wanna know how he’s doing? I wouldn’t think you would need my input considering the amount of letters I saw that you exchanged.”

“Shut up,” Lily blushed, looking up at Thea. “It’s not like that. It can’t be like that.”

“Whatever you say, Lily-Petal,” she cheekily used James’s term of endearment for Lily.

Lily threw a pillow at her but she ducked easily, her Quidditch skills coming in handy. 

“But you at least admit you don’t hate the boy,” she asked of her.

“I never hated him,” Lily trailed off, fixing her gaze back down on the dress in her hands scrutinizingly.

“Ah-HAH,” Thea jumped, pointing her finger at Lily, “so you admit it. You’re desperately in love with him.”

“That is not what I said Thea, not in the slightest.”

“Okay, okay,” Thea said, putting her hands up in surrender. “I’ll drop it.”

“Thank you.” Lily sighed, she added the dress to the pile, standing back to survey the options.

“For now.” That earned another pillow flung at Thea.

She smirked, and then she laughed, and then she was infecting Lily and they were laughing together. Caught up in the moment Lily hugged her, and said, “Oh, I missed you Thea.”

That stilled Thea’s laughter. She didn’t quite let it show how much that meant to her but she felt a pang in her heart at someone caring enough to miss her. That she was important enough in someone’s life for that. She squeezed Lily back. “I missed you too.”

Lily let go first, hyped up at whatever thought just passed through her head. “No, but wait, you’ll never guess what I snuck in.” She didn’t give Thea a chance to guess, she was already diving under her bed and dragging out something that definitely kept up the excited spirit. 

A boombox.

“No way!” Thea basically squealed, rushing forward just to touch it. It was black and bulky and so beautiful. “Is this real?”

“It is indeed, and,” Lily reached under her bed again and pulled out a large box. She pulled the lid off to reveal a bunch of cassettes, “I brought the best of muggle music.”

“You have no idea how happy this makes me!” Thea immediately started flicking through the collection, “Who do you have? Merlin’s beard, we have to have a get-ready jam fest. I’ve missed muggle music so much.” That was true for muggle music, as well as muggle culture in general. Thea had been disconnected pretty much since she’d come to Hogwarts. Her foster families were always wizarding families, so her connection to other muggleborns, such as Lily, was her only link to that world now.

She paused. “Wait but won’t the magic interfere with it?”

“Normally, but it’s an experiment I’ve been working on over the summer. I basically tried to apply the elements of magical radios to it. So last night I tried it out and it seems to work, it runs off the magical atmosphere instead of electricity now.”

Thea stared at Lily, dumbfounded at the incredulity of her being able to do that, figure that out. And she was so casually talking about her accomplishment as well. “That’s extraordinary Lily! You know that right?”

Lily blushed faintly. “Thank you.”

This, and many other things, was why Lily was in the Slug Club. It wasn’t a secret that Slughorn collected talented and successful students. When it came to Thea, she was at a loss as to why she was in the club. She didn’t particularly excel in any subject, just met learning with enthusiasm and wouldn’t say she was stupid or anything but she certainly wasn’t top of the class. No, Regulus Black held that spot in nearly all of her classes.

The closest guess she would have would be her Quidditch skills, but despite being a pretty decent Beater, Thea made it clear that she wouldn’t pursue it as anything but a hobby after Hogwarts.

She just didn't understand.

Thea was pulled out of her reverie about her averageness when Lily held up a particular cassette. She took it from Lily’s hands and held up _A Night at the Opera_ to truly appreciate its beauty.

“Play this!” She bounced up on the balls of her feet, “Play it now! Please,” she added at the end, remembering some courtesy. 

“Right away, Miss Knightley.”

And then they were listening to Queen, far too loudly, and singing at the top of their lungs, and dancing about, all the while Lily helped Thea get ready and did her own finishing touches.

Thea sang into make-up brushes as faux microphones before using them to apply make-up. She flung herself around Lily’s dorm, jumping on the bed and doing her best attempt at high kicks. Lily in turn spun in dizzening circles, and shook out her hair as she shimmied.

It was the burst of serotonin Thea needed to feel more confident about the dinner fastly approaching.

_“OH MAMA MIA, MAMA MIA, MAMA MIA, LET ME GO_

_BEELZEBUB HAS A DEVIL PUT ASIDE FOR ME, FOR ME!_ ” Thea sang deafeningly.

“ _FOR MEEEEE_!” Lily echoed back.

And then they jammed with air-guitars, singing along even to the guitar tune. 

By the time Thea was completely dolled up, she felt much better about her reflection in the mirror. Even if she was still panting a bit from all the dancing. 

Thea had picked a mini shift dress in a lovely deep purple with a lace lining. It was one of the only dresses Lily picked out that fit her properly and the colour suited her tanned skin tone much better than her discarded dress. 

Lily had the fashionable, skinny body type (wasn’t it just brilliant how woman's body types went in and out of style?) so the dress clung quite tight to Thea’s curvy figure. She was slightly worried her big boobs and wide hips would stretch the pretty dress, but Lily assured her it was fine. 

When it came to her hair Thea kept it in its usual feathered fashion, her long fringe curled outwards to channel Farah Fawcett, despite being a brunette and therefore having a much darker shade than the trendsetter.

Thea wasn’t confident about most things: her intelligence, her personality, how people perceived her, if she was important in their life as they were in hers, but looking at her reflection she was self-assured in one thing. She was fit as fuck.

With her deep brown eyes, upturned nose smattered with light freckles and full lips, Thea was thriving. She didn’t remember her parents but they gave her some decent genes. 

Thea slapped her own ass. “We’re gonna be the hottest ones there, let’s go.”

“You mean you are,” Lily said, also slapping Thea’s arse. Her arse was just very slappable.

“Bitch, don’t make me fight you. Look at ya, you’re gorgeous! I so would if you’d let me.”

“Shut up,” Lily laughed, pushing her in front, and through the doorway.

As they descended the staircase, Thea looked back at Lily, grinning widely, “No, seriously, if you don’t watch out I’ll be as whipped as James.”

“That’d be an impressive feat to make,” A familiar male voice said. Thea turned back to see two out of the four Marauders standing at the bottom of the stairs, as if waiting for the girls to make a grand reveal. 

Remus Lupin, who made the previous comment, smiled softly. He looked the same as he did before the summer, standing tall and cute. He looked happy despite his tired, pale appearance.

James Potter, unsurprisingly was the same speckled, crazy-haired boy who Thea saw a couple weeks ago. He still looked winded, having to overcome seeing Lily, as he did every time. The girl actually took his breath away. 

Thea made it to the bottom of the stairs, Lily at her heels, as James regained himself. He nudged Remus, and agreed. “Nobody can possibly adore Lily as much as I.”

“I mean,” Remus started, “if you’re not willing to crawl on your hands and knees after women, and appreciate how utterly remarkable they are, are you really a man?”

“Right you are, my dear Moony!” James heartily slapped Remus on the back and turned to face the common room, “I, JAMES POTTER, AM WHIPPED FOR THE INTELLIGENT, KIND, AND BEAUTIFUL LILY EVANS!” He doesn’t get as much of a response from the other common room dwellers as one would have thought. Thea supposed they were used to James’s, and the other Marauders, antics. 

Thea noticed that Lily didn’t chastise James this time, just smiled to herself, almost pleased. Progress. 

”You both look stunning, by the way,” Remus said. After, that is, he took the time to hit James over the head and shake his head at him in amusement. 

Thea was about to thank Remus, but was interrupted as Sirius Black made his way over. 

It was Thea’s turn to be winded. 

Her crush on Sirius had found its way into her heart quite suddenly last term, and she hadn’t shaken herself of the impossibility of it yet. She swore her pulse rate was permanently up at the Potters’ when they were staying in guest rooms right beside each other. 

Thea doubted she made his radar though. She was a little sister type to all the Marauders. As a favour to Dumbledore the Potters took her in the summer after her first year at Hogwarts. James and Thea became friends mainly through talk of quidditch, and lack of other companions. 

Despite not going back to the Potters’ the following years (apart from short visits as a family friend) James had always looked out for Thea and in turn that made his friends aware of her. Which she was certainly never mad about. She basically forced myself on the proclaimed Marauders from her second year onwards. She so desperately wanted to be their friends and so they were stuck with her as a tagalong.

She has since chilled out, hanging more with her best pals in her own year: Gideon and Fabian Prewett, and Marlene McKinnion. As well as getting closer to Lily through the Slug Club. But an impression made is usually an impression to stay. So, Sirius didn’t even glance Thea’s way as he moved himself in between James and Remus. 

He was just so beautiful. Thea was into pretty boys and he was the prettiest. Most of the Hogwarts’ population (attracted to men) would agree with her on that front.

But she couldn’t ignore that he looked a mess at the moment; his black hair veering towards James territory in its untidy state, and sporting violet hollows under his eyes. He wasn’t holding himself with his usual bolster, instead slumped into James. Remus looked at him in concern, putting a hand on Sirius’s shoulder, and Sirius responded to his touch, placing his hand over his. 

The way James and Remus immediately responded to Sirius’s distress, displaying their healthy male friendship was wholesome, but Thea was concerned. So was Lily from the looks of things. 

Thea was the first to get to the question, “Sirius, what’s wrong?” 

“It’s Regulus,” Sirius sighed, he shuddered and Remus squeezed his shoulder. “He’s—he’s done it.”

“Done what?” Lily asked.

It was Thea’s eyes Sirius met, grey to brown, as he said. “He’s joined the Death Eaters.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and that's the first chapter! i hope you enjoyed and continue with this lil project of mine. returning to the marauders era after years is really comforting in a strange way and i think i'm going to have a lot of fun with this story... a lot of fun crushing my readers hearts hehe


	2. Chapter 2

**TWO**

**I** t was a rumour, but a likely one. Sirius had heard from his cousin Andromeda, getting his part of the “elite” pureblood family gossip trail. Despite only having vague connections to Regulus Black, through Sirius and sharing classes, Thea was still shaken up by the news.

She supposed it was the reality of it, of Death Eaters being here at Hogwarts. She knew there were probably multiple but being faced with the very real speculation, put into perspective how present this war was. That Hogwarts wasn’t the completely safe bubble it was made out to be. 

By the time Lily and Thea had finished discussing and consoling with the boys, they were late to the dinner. 

“I was starting to think you girls were not coming,” Slughorn greeted them at the door, smiling at the girls. “But no matter. Come in and sit! I have made place settings for everyone.”

“Oh, but I have to sit with Lily, she’s my wife.”

Slughorn just looked at Thea in confusion.

She shook her head, “Nevermind, I’m just joking.”

Slughorn laughed politely, clearly not understanding, as he led them into the room, around a corner, so that a large circular table came into view. 

As the leading role in the worries going through her brain, Thea unconsciously looked for Regulus Black. She didn’t even have to search the table, because Regulus sat up straighter and her eyes trained instinctively to the movement. 

Her eyes locked with his (grey like his brothers) from across the room, and though she wanted to look away, she refused to do so. She tried to somewhat stare him down, even though she couldn’t really be intimidating. She had too much of a sweet demeanour. 

Unlike Thea’s friends, Regulus had changed quite a bit over the summer. At the end of last term, he’d been the scrawny, less remarkable looking Black. Now, he’d grown into himself, his biceps straining against his shirt as he scratched the back of his neck. His hair had also grown out more so it curled lightly, giving him a tousled look.

He was more delicate than Sirius, with sharper bone structure, and a thinner face. He was drawn with a quill while Sirius was drawn with oil pastels. 

Thea couldn’t deny he was beautiful. But that didn’t matter if it was only the shallow surface on top. 

It was a strange moment for Thea, taking him in, but also sharing her nightmare reverie through intense eye contact. She felt while they were looking at each other that he could tell what she was thinking, what she was feeling: fear and disgust.

Regulus finally looked down, staring at his plate, and surprising Thea by blushing, the faint pink clear on his pale skin. He hunched over again. 

Thea looked away, as she absentmindedly walked around the table as Slughorn showed Lily to her seat. As she sat we continued around, and Thea knew what was happening. She hadn’t failed to notice the empty seat beside Regulus. She wasn't surprised at her bad luck that this was where Slughorn placed her. 

Slughorn reached to pull her chair back, but before he could Regulus abruptly stood. He smiled sheepishly at Slughorn, who got a shock, but stood back to let Regulus scrape back Thea’s chair instead.

Slughorn smirked at the both of them. “Aren’t you glad I sat you beside such a gentleman, Miss Knightley?”

Thea swallowed and tried to put on a convincing smile. “Of course, Sir.”

“I’ll leave you to it.” Slughorn made his way to the biggest chair, his way of being at the head of a circular table.

Thea gathered the skirt of her dress around her as she sat, feeling uncomfortable as Regulus pushed her in. “Thank you, Black,” she mumbled.

“My pleasure, Knightley,” Regulus said, retaking his own seat. “You look very pretty, tonight. That colour suits you.”

“Thank you,” Thea had to say again, sounding off to her own ears. “You look…” she trailed off, hating that she had started that sentence. She coughed before she continued with the only thing she could think of, “pretty too.”

Regulus chuckled at that, “Much obliged, Knightley, much obliged.” When Thea didn’t say anything in return, and made herself look anywhere but at his face, Regulus awkwardly asked. “So, how was your summer?”

Thea did not take the same enthusiastic response as she did with Lily, “It was fine, yeah.” There was an awkward pause. “Um, how was yours?” She couldn’t help but look at his forearm, where his dark mark would be if he actually had one. 

This time Regulus wasn’t as diplomatic and said a curt, “Fine.” He shifted in his seat and played with his sleeves. Thea had never noticed how nervous Regulus acted, but perhaps this was a new development. In any case, he was distressed with her glance. 

_That’s good_ , she figured rationally, but instinctively felt bad. He just seemed so unguarded, so unprotected, in that moment that Thea wanted to—she didn’t even know what she wanted to do. 

What she did was nothing, because she refused to humanize someone so prejudiced, whether he was a death eater yet or not. It was an inevitability for him, if Sirius knew anything about his brother and his ex-family.

Slughorn had begun stridently talking, and glad for the excuse to not continue the obligatory conversation, Thea listened as Slughorn interrogated the newbies. It was the same every year, Thea experienced it herself two years ago when she had received an invite to the esteemed club. 

House elves brought out starters and served everyone. Thea thanked the house elf, when her plate was put in front of her. She thought it was quite unnecessary that the house elves were personally delivering the meals but the elves themselves seemed content serving tonight, happy for a different job, so Thea didn’t say anything. 

She noted surprisingly that Regulus told the house elf, with his food, how it smelled and looked amazing. Even going as far to thank the elf personally with his name (Knobbly). 

Slughorn had begun introducing everyone, explaining their connections and/or talents. He unnecessarily pointed out Lily being muggleborn, but gave her high praise on her Potions skills, as well as commenting on how she excelled at Defence Against the Dark Arts. 

It took a few others, and some reminiscing about past students before Slughorn set his sights in Thea’s direction. “And here is Regulus Black and Althea Knightly. Regulus is part of the very prosperous House of Black, as you might have guessed. But he’s also a highly intelligent young man of his own regard. I will tell you Professor Kettleburn is absolutely smitten with him and his skills in Care of Magical Creatures, not to mention his high grades in all the other classes he takes. He’s also Slytherin’s seeker and not too shabby at it. He truly is Hogwarts’ golden child, aren’t you m’boy?”

A strained smile made its way across Regulus’s face as he replied. “You’re too kind, Sir.”

“And you’re too modest!” Slughorn exclaimed with a hearty laugh. “Ah and Miss Knightly.”

Thea looked at Slughorn and waited. She raised an eyebrow, almost as if to ask _why? Why am I here, exactly?_

“Thea here is also skilled on the Quidditch field. She’s Hufflepuff’s Beater, and she says she doesn’t want to pursue Quidditch professionally. However, I don’t think Madam Hooch, or I, will allow that to happen!”

Thea didn't know if Slughorn was truly just overestimating her Quidditch skills or if there was something else he wasn't saying. He did look like he was considering her, sitting on something.

Thea politely responded and they prattled back and forth, until the conversation flowed somewhere else and she could relax. As the chatting continued, she occupied herself with her food, enjoying the fine dishes immensely. Thea dunked her crusty roll into her soup and bit off a big chunk. She heard a snort from beside me. She looked to see Regulus delicately dipping his spoon into his soup, smirking to himself. 

Thea wiped her mouth with a napkin before saying, “Something funny, Black?”

“Nothing,” Regulus said shaking his head, but the stupid smirk remained etched on his face. “I just like that you're enjoying your food.” He ate his elegant spoonful, so gently, so carefully. 

She couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “You eat like a princess.”

“First pretty, now a princess. Wow, some might think you have intentions, Knightley.” He grinned at Thea. She didn’t know what he was playing at. 

Thea sipped out of her goblet. “I think the only one with intentions here is Slughorn, he did give you such a glowing review, m’boy.”

“Well, I certainly wouldn’t turn down his advances,” Regulus said after a beat, “I have this thing for older men, the dad-bod really does it for me, that probably comes from some deep rooted issues but we’ll ignore that. What really sets me off though, is that he eats almost as gracefully as you do.” Just as Regulus said this, Slughorn gestured to Lily, forgetting his goblet in his hand and sloshing his drink about. And Thea laughed. She breathily chuckled, trying to keep quiet about it. 

She looked to her side, and Regulus was laughing softly. His grey eyes glowed with mirth, crinkled at the corner. 

He didn’t look evil. He just looked like a boy.

But that was how they got you wasn’t it? And Thea sobered up realising she could not share a private joke with a blood purist. Regulus looked off-put at the abrupt holt in Thea’s laughter, but she just turned and tried to get Slughorn’s attention. It wasn’t hard to get Slughorn speaking at her lengthily, and she listened intently, nodding, and smiling, and giving all the non-verbal cues to encourage him to continue. Thea managed to actually ignore Regulus for the rest of the dinner this time. 

Thea sat, fearing that people with discriminatory and fucked up values, looked the same as the rest. They blended in, and it wasn’t all or nothing. Sometimes it was just politics to them, sometimes it was extremism. The bad guys weren’t clear cut, they weren't obviously marked. Or at least they hid their potential marks beneath crisp grey shirts.

This wasn’t a particularly astute observation, and of course Thea already knew this. She was just very aware of the fact in that instant. 

The dinner took its time to dwindle to an end, with the awkward atmosphere becoming palpable between Regulus and Thea. She wasn’t exactly subtle and had no idea how to discreetly turn a blind eye to him. But just when she thought she’d suffocate from the pressure, Slughorn dismissed everyone, thanking the Slug Club for joining him.

As Thea got up Regulus turned to her, “I-” he started and then shook his at himself. “Nevermind.”

Thea didn’t know how to respond to that so she kind of just lifted her hand at him and left. She felt his eyes on her back as she walked away, but she didn’t look back. 


	3. Chapter 3

**THREE**

**“E** at some more toast,” Gideon Prewett suggested the next morning. Thea’s head was slumped down on the Hufflepuff dining table. She was hungover, having drunk quite a bit of firewhiskey with Lily after Slughorn’s dinner—the Marauders hyping things up by joining them too.

Gideon, bless him, was the sweetest boy and did not just laugh at Thea’s misfortunate headache, and general drowsiness (as most friends would). Instead, he was making sure she was eating, offered her tea, and gave her one of the many jumpers he had knitted. 

She was grateful for the chunky jumper, because despite being a pretty tall girl, Gideon stood at 6’3, so his jumper was massive on her and felt like being wrapped in a hug. That was basically Gideon: a hug in human form. 

“Bread doesn’t fix everything,” Thea said but still took a bite of buttered toast. Her mouth was dry and it took a lot of chewing before she could swallow. Strenuous work that toast stuff.

“Slander,” Gideon gasped. “Absolute slander.”

“Yeah, because that’ll stop good ol’ you-know-who, give him some bread.”

“Maybe that’s it, maybe he’s just hungry.” 

“Hmm, we’ve solved the war. Glad it’s over. Do you think they’ll cancel classes in celebration so I can sleep?”

“Honestly, I think Dumbledore would just give everyone Outstandings, you know what he’s like.”

“Too true,” Thea agreed, trying at more toast. 

It was during this lull in the conversation that the owls flew into the Great Hall. Thea’s little owl, Atlas, landed on her head cheekily, tugging at her hair. She tutted at him fondly, and held out her arm for him to move to instead. He obliged and Thea stroked his feathers softly. 

Atlas was small, and a bit scruffy around the edges, but he was still a decent flier, and very intelligent. Thea was so glad he was the owl that she got when she asked for the cheapest one available back in first year. 

In Atlas’s clutches was a light envelope with Thea’s name in scrawly script etched on the front. She tore it open to discover it was from Professor Sinistra. Thea was surprised she hadn’t just talked to her in class, or came to her at dinner, but to be fair Professor Sinistra wasn’t particularly chatty. She was direct and down to the point, and got along fine with her students but never stuck about to get closer to them.

Thea guessed she liked to keep the human interaction to a minimum, which Thea respected. 

_Dear Thea,_

_As I recall you are interested in going into social reform, but more specially to work on rights for magical beings and creatures who are discriminated against. If this is still your desired goal, I have an opportunity and proposition for you. Professor Kettleburn and I have collaborated on a project, involving the Centaurs that reside near the castle in the Forbidden Forest. This would be a great experience for you, and could be put on your final transcript accordingly._

_If you are interested, please meet me outside the Greenhouses, 2 hours before our midnight class on Wednesday._

_Best Wishes,_

_Professor Sinistra._

After Thea finished reading the letter, she gave Atlas some treats, and then Gideon took the bag and gave the owl an excess amount instead. Having gotten what he wanted Atlas took flight out of the Great Hall with only a little chirp goodbye. He just used Thea, honestly. He was no different to all the other boys out there. 

Thea shook her head at Gideon, trading the treat bag for the letter for him to read instead. “Look at this, it’s a bit random, but sounds cool.” 

“Look at what?” It was Marlene McKinnion. She swaggered up behind Gideon, and grabbed the letter from him. Fabian, Gideon’s twin brother, had made his way over from the Gryffindor table as well, and peered over Marlene’s shoulder at the letter. “Ooh, look at you, teacher’s pet.” He commented. 

“I didn’t think Professor Sinistra liked anyone,” Marlene laughed.

“Come on guys, this is a good opportunity for Thea.” Gideon was a breath of fresh air from all the Gryffindor friends Thea had somehow accumulated. 

“And it doesn’t mean I’m a teacher’s pet, it’s just that she’s doing a project she thinks I might be interested in.” Thea said, snatching the letter back. 

Marlene said, “Still, she knows your career aspirations. I didn’t think Sinistra knew, or wanted to know, anything about her students.”

“Well maybe I am special, I do have a very likeable face.” Thea stomached another piece of toast after saying this.

Before she could swallow, Gideon reached over the table and squished her face in his hands. “You do. You have the perfect round cheeks.”

Thea coughed, “Thank you, but please don’t choke me.”

“Yeah, that’s my job.” Fabian winked, and she rolled her eyes at him. 

Fabian constantly jokingly flirted with both Thea and Marlene, calling them ‘his girls’, but when it came to real flirting he could hardly stutter anything out. It was quite a treat to watch; he was just so awkward. Last term, he tried to ask out the Hufflepuff seeker, and completely backed out by asking where the male bathrooms were, as if hadn’t used them in all the years he’d been at Hogwarts. It doesn't help that he fancies himself in love with somebody new each week.

“Never gonna happen,” Marlene sang at Fabian so Thea didn’t have to. 

Fabian clutched his chest as if wounded, and Thea pouted and feigned a teardrop going down her face with her finger. “Diddums.” 

“You play too much with my fragile heart, Thea.” Fabian slapped a hand down on his brother’s shoulder. “Just ask Gideon, I wept every night over the summer. He just wanted to get to Hogwarts so he could stop sharing a room with me.”

“It’s true,” Gideon nodded solemnly, playing along. 

“Boys do tend to cry out my name.” Thea commented, sipping at a glass of orange juice she had just poured for herself. 

“Do they now?” A voice said from behind Thea, and she jumped in her seat. She wasn’t used to being snuck up on, usually she caught people before they did, so her reaction when she was caught off guard was always dramatic. 

She turned to see Sirius laughing, and the rest of the Marauders grinning alongside him. Thea zeroed in on Sirius automatically. She was conscious of the presence of James, of Remus, and of Peter but her attention was pulled from them, beaconing to Sirius with his face lit up. 

Thea flushed, not being able to meet his eyes. _Say something funny and sexy back_ , she thought, _flirt! God-Dammit woman, you’re not Fabian._

She managed to compose herself enough to look up at Sirius, batting her eyes at him. “Of course. I’d be happy to prove it, let you demonstrate some time.”

Thea never talked to Sirius like this so he seemed surprised but, as she happily noticed, not displeased. Before Sirius could get a word in though, James dramatically covered his ears. “Oh Merlin, I can’t hear this. I can’t see this. You’re a baby! Just a little baby.”

“I’m one year younger than you, James.” Thea said, possibly looking at Sirius to remind him as well. 

“Exactly, a baby.” James said. 

Thea ramped up to argue back but Remus rolled his eyes stepping in, “We were gonna ask if you lot wanted to join us? We’re going to hang out at the Black Lake, just to make use of the grounds before it gets too cold.”

Everybody was in, and agreed, so Thea chugged her juice and finished her toast at record speed, while Gideon also finished up his breakfast quickly. Though maybe more politely. Thea guessed Regulus, possibly, maybe, had a point about her manners. But he grew up in a posh household, while she grew up in an orphanage, so she decided not to allow his judgement. 

Thea shook her head as if to empty it, not wanting to think about Regulus’s opinion, as she headed with the others out of the Great Hall.

Lily, and another 7th year Gryffindor girl, Mary MacDonald, who was Marlene’s best friend, joined them at the door. They teased the boys about not being invited, in an easy rapport. Thea adored these girls for seeming so sure in themselves, and hoped it was some 7th year charm she would learn. 

The excess of Gryffindors was astounding really, but being invited into a popular, big friend group was something that little Thea could never imagine. Even if she felt on the outskirts sometimes, in her head still an annoying little Hufflepuff, that was her own insecurities. Thea’s mates were so kind and loving and she never wanted anything to happen to them. 

Thea ended up in the back with Sirius, which was a rarity since Sirius and James were the sort of big-dog leaders who always took the front. Listening to them flirt (Lily and James), laugh (Mary and Marlene), talk about random books Thea hadn’t read (Gideon and Remus), and lad talk about new flings (Peter and Fabian). 

It was comfortable. It felt safe. As they were walking out onto the grounds, Sirius and Thea accidentally brushed hands. Thea jolted so much more at that, at the contact rather than just his voice. She looked up at him to find him already looking at her. 

She smiled to herself, hope blooming in her chest. 

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Thea wasn’t sure if she had to wear uniform and robes for this meeting, but also couldn’t be bothered to run back to change if she ended up going to Astronomy just after. She settled on her uniform, but with robes stuffed in her bag with her books, and one of her colourful knitted jumpers (courtesy of Gideon) over her shirt. 

She crawled through the barrel lid, to exit the Hufflepuff common room, and smoothed down said jumper upon standing. She got about two steps, right to the painting of the fruit-bowl that led to the kitchens, when it swung open straight into Thea’s face. She promptly got hit forcefully and pushed to the ground. 

From her spot on the floor, Thea shook her hair out her face and looked up. And out of the painting, stepped Regulus fucking Black. 

Thea groaned in pain from both her fall and his presence. 

"Jesus Christ," she complained, rubbing her forehead. As soon as Thea said it, she waited for Regulus to say something about the muggle-ism, but he just looked taken aback.

"Shit, Knightley, are you alright?" He went to give Thea a hand up and she automatically took it. "I'm so sorry."

Thea had to be the one to tug her hand away and just for something to do she smoothed out her jumper again.

"I'm getting your nice jumper all dusty. I swear Filch never actually cleans these floors."

Thea wasn't sure if he was being sarcastic about the jumper or not, but normally these jumpers didn't gain compliments so she went on the defense. "Gideon made this for me and I actually really like it."

"No, I was being serious, it's cute!" Regulus seemed to remember something, perhaps how Thea acted the other night, and composed himself into less of a friendly manner.

She didn't get why he was acting like this with her, a measly Mudblood in his eyes no doubt. Perhaps he didn't know. It wasn't clear if you didn't know Thea, especially since she stayed with wizarding foster families. 

"Well, um, thanks," Thea said ( _how many times was I going to have to thank this boy?_ ) and if she was confused by Regulus's behaviour he was definitely confused by her awkward but cold shoulder. 

She was about to go to leave, but then processed that he had just come from the kitchens. Thea couldn't help but chastise. "You know, you shouldn't be going to the kitchens after hours to get snacks or whatever. If you want something take it at dinner for later, because the house elves have enough to do all night with cleaning and preparing for breakfast. They don't need any extra work even if they're happy to provide."

Regulus raised his dark eyebrows. "I had detention actually, I wasn't there of my own free will." He said smoothly, stuffing his hands in the pockets of his trousers.

"Oh," Thea didn't expect that. "Detention at this time? It's nearly 10," _and I should probably go so I'm not late._

Regulus shrugged, hands still in pockets. "It's for Professor Sinistra."

Thea was curious as to how the perfect golden child had gotten detention but it wasn't her place to ask, and even though she normally ended up late, that didn’t mean she did it on purpose. 

So, Thea dropped it, saying, “Sorry,” and giving him a wave, because apparently that’s the only way she could say bye to Regulus now, and turned to leave. 

As she walked Thea realised Regulus was walking in the same direction. Which would have been fine, if he had turned to go down to the Slytherin common room at the right corner. He didn’t.

Thea didn’t know where he was going, and the longer they went in the same direction the more nervous she got. Her mind ran a bit wild, thinking that the friendliness was a facade and it was now he was going to torture her for being a muggleborn. It would be how it was for Mary, and Thea doubted she’d be as strong. 

Being trusting was supposed to be in her nature as a Hufflepuff, but Thea also had self-preservation instincts so she started walking faster. 

“Hey, Knightley!” Regulus called.

Thea was basically running at this point.

“Sorry! I’m not following you. I’m just going in this direction too. I don’t want to scare you.” He called after Thea, and she started to slow at that. She wasn’t sure what to do. Was he lying?

She decided to stop, and wait for him to catch up. She could duel him if she had to, she could stand her ground. “I’m not scared,” Thea said, jutting out her chin, in a major Gryffindor move. Her friends were wearing off on her.

“Of course not,” Regulus said with a little smile. He ambled up to Thea’s side. “I’m just saying it would be understandable if you were. I’m very sketchy looking, I’m obviously a gangster,” he gestured to his pristine school-boy self, “and it’s late at night and kept walking in the same direction as if I was following you.” He turned his little amused smile, into one that was trying to be reassuring. He did look like he was trying so hard to be nice to Thea, it was disconcerting. His eyes big and innocent in the dark corridor.

Re-registering the uniform, and chokingly tight tie ( _we get it mate, you’re put-together, but it’s uncomfortable even looking at you_ ) it dawned on Thea. “Are you going to see Professor Sinistra, too?”

It was strange that Regulus hardly changed his expression at all, but the subtleties made all the difference. That yet again the meaning of his smile changed, to being elusively pleased, and Thea couldn’t even work out what made the difference. She thought perhaps it was the slight change of the angle of his smile, as well as what his eyes held.

Thea started, realising she had been contemplating Regulus’s face, studying it. She was probably making up the meanings behind his nearly expressionless expressions. It would be plausible since humans naturally found meaning in anything random. 

Thea’s head was already snapping away from him and forward when he answered. “Professor Kettleburn, but they’re doing this Centaur rehabilitation thing together aren’t they? I guess we were both invited then. ” They started walking again, this time together towards the quickest exit to the grounds. 

So they were doing this project together? Thea wondered how many other students there would be. That hopefully it would be enough that she could just ignore Regulus without it being weird. 

“I mean, it does make sense since your Professor Sinistra’s favourite student.” Regulus added, they had already made it to the big oak doors, and he shoved one open with his shoulder.

“Why is everyone saying that? She just knows it’s useful for my career plans.” As they passed together through the doors, she got a strange _deja vu_ of doing this with Sirius. She didn’t know how she had ended up trading Black brothers, but Thea could certainly say the atmosphere of each moment with these boys was completely different.

The autumn night was crisp, and Thea took a long breath in. She loved the night air. That probably made her sound pretentious, like saying you love petrichor (which she also did), but something about the black sky and the cool breeze as it ruffled through her hair, made her feel alive and at peace.

Regulus had paused with Thea in appreciation. When she looked at him, just as with Sirius earlier, he was already looking at her.Thea’s breath hitched, the air suddenly dense. 

How strong the Black brothers likeness was, just highlighted greatly their differences. Their expressions, and demeanour, showed how loud Sirius was in personality and looks, how open, while Regulus was quiet, so subtle. 

If Thea was still analysing his facial expressions (which she was not because she did not care) she would remark on how soft Regulus’s smile was when he asked. “So, what are said career plans that this project relates to?”

Thea was about to prattle off her strangely specific way she had decided to give back to the world, but paused just in time. She wanted social reform because she hated mistreatment and injustice in her soul to the point she got so fucking angry when things were blatantly unfair. Regulus on the other hand, was on the side of supposed social reform that came from bigotry and hatred. The kind Thea wanted to fight against.

Thea tried to play it off without Regulus getting suspicious of her weird behaviour once again. “I don’t quite know, but I’m veering towards working with magical creatures and that sort of thing.” She figured that glossed over her true aspirations enough, without gaining curiosity. She was wrong. 

Regulus made a _huh_ noise, and then raised his eyebrows at her again. Not by much however, it was like he couldn’t be bothered to express himself more than necessary. Which was frustrating because Thea was probably the opposite. “I don’t believe you,” Regulus said, deciding to call her out on her bullshit. “Come on, I’ll tell you if you tell me.”

Thea sighed and resigned herself. What could he really do? Make a harsh comment or scoff? He couldn’t abuse her since Professor Sinistra and Kettleburn were in sight now, waiting by the Greenhouses on the path that would take them to the Forbidden Forest. “Social reform, mainly for magical beings and creatures who are discriminated against.” 

And Regulus didn’t react at all, apart from nodding. Thea couldn’t decipher what he thought at all. He just held up his end of the bargain as he continued. “Well, I certainly wouldn’t mind being a professional seeker first, but mainly I want to go into Magizoology. That probably doesn’t surprise you.” Thea didn’t tell him that it did. 

It made sense since he had been the star pupil in Care of Magical Creatures since first year. But he just seemed like the sort of privileged white boy who’d use his trust fund for the foreseeable future. Thea didn’t even know what the Black family did. Maybe they just lived off old money and evaded taxes.

“But…” Regulus started to continue but stopped himself.

The Professors noticed them now and Kettleburn was enthusiastically waving the two over, while Sinistra just looked on. Thea’s curiosity got the best of her, and she needed to know what Regulus was going to say before they were caught up in this project. “But what?” 

In a doubtful and disregarding tone he answered, “ _But_ it doesn’t matter does it?”

Thea assumed he meant what they wanted to do with our lives was null. “Why not?”

Regulus looked at Thea, and this time his smile dropped from his face completely, shadows in his eyes. “We’re just going to end up soldiers in the end.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay in case i've confused anyone: i've decided to change from first person to third person. nothing else has changed in the first 3 chapters apart from this though. i wanted to do this since i realised going forward i want to explore a lot more perspectives than i originally intended. obviously i want to explore regulus's head, but also want snippets into the marauders and lily's side of things and so on. so yeah a change in person will make this a lot smoother.
> 
> chapter 4 should be coming soonish! i just have finals at uni at the moment but plan to write a lot over christmas so while the updates are slow at the moment, they will pick up.
> 
> \- Skye


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you didn't see at the end of my last chapter, i've changed from first to third person :)

**FOUR**

**T** he centaurs didn’t show. Not that first meeting, or multiple requested meetings after. But Professor Sinistra and Professor Kettleburn didn’t want to give up so every Wednesday night, like clockwork, Thea left the Hufflepuff common room as Regulus left the kitchens (Thea still really wanted to know what he did for this many weeks detention) and they walked to the Forbidden Forest together. There they waited to see if possibly, maybe, this week the centaurs would have a change of heart.

They normally only waited an hour and a half at the most. It was only ever them, the Professors left them to it and there weren’t any other recruits. So, it was just Thea and Regulus alone in the dark with many, many awkward silences, random conversations and weird moments.

Thea couldn’t work Regulus out, because he was kind, polite and quiet but could be cheeky or sarcastic in a way that made Thea smile when she didn’t want to.

He seemed like any other innocent boy but then he’d say something that would remind Thea he was the Black heir, a blood purist, and potential death eater.

He was confusingly dimensional and Thea had to keep checking herself from—well, she didn’t know—with someone who was so ingrained in the worst politics imaginable, and the worst family.

She didn’t know or understand how Regulus Black with his moral greyness and grey eyes were messing with her usually strong and unyielding moral compass. But she didn’t like the weird shift she felt when she forgot about everything and grinned as they discussed Newt Scamander and how Professor Kettleburn had managed to burn a patch of hair off in class.

The pattern kept repeating though, despite Thea’s restraints and that night was the same. It got to the point that when Thea entered the Astronomy classroom that night, she felt strange going back to ignoring Regulus, when they had been arguing in the Forbidden Forest about who was the best Quidditch team not even an hour ago. (Thea vehemently supported the Pride of Portree while Regulus was obsessed with the Tutshill Tornados).

Still, Thea made herself not look twice at Regulus as she took her seat beside Edgar Bones. None of her close friends had continued onto Astronomy, but she was friendly with Edgar, he was her fellow beater afterall, and they stuck together as the only Hufflepuffs in the class.

Professor Sinistra came in, fashionably late as usual. She looked ethereal with her shimmering dark blue hijab, and her cloak which trailed inches behind her. Honestly, if Thea actually was her favourite student as the others said then she would not complain in the slightest. Thea wasn’t sure if she wanted to be Sinistra, her first role model with the same skin tone as her, or if was a little bit in love with her. If anyone was her teacher crush it would be her, rather than the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor all the girls were currently obsessed with.

After all, Sinstra was the one to spark her sexuality crisis in fourth year, when she realised she was more AC-DC. Along with (and she would never admit this to anyone) the graduated Narcissa Black. Thea didn’t know what it was with her and the Black family but she was starting to think she might have a problem. She wondered absentmindedly if Madam Pomfrey did therapy sessions.

“Silence,” Sinistra commanded and everyone knew to shut up. Not that she tended to bother with proper punishments. (Another reason Regulus’s detention was odd). She just sent people out of class if they were disturbing her lesson and told them to come back when they were ready to learn. Thea respected that Sinistra never questioned whenever they returned even if a second later, as long as they listened from there on out.

“Now, as a whole the charts you all handed in last week were good pieces of work, nothing less I would expect from NEWT students. We will be going over them before we begin fully with our lesson however, to make sure you understand any mistakes you made.”

Sinistra gave everyone back their homework with the same neutral expression, but Thea still beamed adoringly at Sinistra when she was passed her own work. Thea was happy with how she did, only making a slight error with Aquarius.

As Sinistra began talking through the charts, Thea couldn’t resist the urge to pause in her note taking to see how Regulus did. He definitely got perfect marks but Thea still turned to take a sneaky glance at the back of the classroom where Regulus sat alone.

Thea was quickly distracted from seeing how the golden boy did, because of how dejected he looked. Thea highly doubted his lost demeanour was because of a bad grade, especially since he wasn’t taking notes and Regulus was always one for self-improvement.

Regulus was looking around almost hopelessly, and by noting the lack of supplies on his desk, Thea quickly deduced he was in need of a quill.

For some reason, the perfect Black was uncomfortable from asking, or even demanding, to borrow someone’s quill. Did he not have any friends in this class? Thea frowned, thinking of rowdy Slytherin boys a few seats down from him.

Before she could think it through, Thea was leaning over and whispering “Oi, Black.” He immediately snapped his sullen expression to Thea and his features relaxed when he met Thea’s gaze. “Here,” She reached out, having to stretch over significantly to hand over her quill.

Regulus took it gently from her, relief washing over him. “Thank you,” he said far too earnestly for the small act.

“No problem,” Thea whispered, quickly turning back to her own work. Her gut was doing something funny and she wanted to focus on her work to hopefully forgo the feeling.

The problem now was that Thea didn’t have a spare quill of her own. In fact, she quite liked the quill she gave Regulus, with its sleek, black feather and a spell to make her handwriting neater since it was quite atrocious of its own regard.

But she luckily had less qualms about asking for one than Regulus did. Edgar didn’t have a spare quill either, and wasn’t stupid enough to give up his only one, so Thea leaned over to the Ravenclaw in front of her who she could see was extra prepared. The Ravenclaw handed back a quill without even looking up from her chart.

As she turned back to catch up with what Sinistra was saying, she caught Regulus staring at her with an indiscernible expression on his face. Thea chose not to focus on it and allowed herself to get herself absorbed by Sinistra’s flowing voice.

However, even Sinistra soon failed as a distraction when she herself paused her lecture to say, “Mr. Black, as pretty as young Miss Knightly is, I’d like to think my class is more interesting than the back of her head.”

Everyone in the class immediately turned to look at Regulus, sniggering to themselves. That was apart from a few of the Slytherins who were far from amused and were glaring at Regulus sternly, as if to chastise him themselves. The hostility of them made Thea more upset than she wanted to admit. She looked down at her desk as behind her Regulus cleared his throat and said quietly, “Sorry, Professor.”

“Very well,” and Sinistra continued but Thea couldn’t concentrate, not when she heard the Slytherin boys’ fervent whispers.

_She’s fit, sure, but doesn’t excuse her filthy heritage._

_Her tits are something else though. Swear they could easily pop out of that shirt of hers._

_Exactly, she’s a right skank._

_Black shouldn’t be looking at a mudblood regardless._

_Snape’s obsession with Evans is enough, we don’t need another one._

_It’s just ‘cause she’s fit. I’ll have a talk with him._

_You better, Rosier._

_Shh, Sinistra is looking at us._

Thea felt herself shrink more and more with every word, but at least she didn’t cry. She didn’t cry at this shit anymore.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Thea didn’t want to dwell on what the Slytherin boys said, it wasn’t like this was new to her. She got comments about her blood status every other day, and the comments on her looks while they made her uncomfortable weren’t exactly new either. All she had to do was naturally have big boobs and she was branded as a slut.

Still for the next few days she didn’t walk anywhere alone, which was a practise Muggleborns across Hogwarts had begun to adopt anyway. It was because of this the Marauders found out, because James was questioning when Thea asked him to walk her to Charms after spending lunchtime on the ground with the boys—even though it was getting too cold for chilling outside.

“Boys, I think we have new targets on our hands.” James had declared to his friends. It wasn’t just James who walked her to class but Sirius, Remus and Peter came along too, protecting and coddling her like a King on a chess board. She wished for once she could feel more like the most powerful piece on the board: the Queen.

Thea rolled her eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic. I can handle myself y’know. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

The Marauders ignored her feeble attempt at autonomy and instead Sirius addressed his boys saying, “Let’s brainstorm.” James actually started rubbing his hands together at that, as he went automatically into scheming mode. 

Thea sighed. No matter how evolved the Marauders were they were still boys, and with it came their ideas of chivalry. 

Thea looked to Remus but even he looked keen on the idea. “I thought you were supposed to be matured,” Thea said, air quoting _matured_ because James used the word so often with Lily, his chest puffed out.

“Please, Thea, we have to get this pranking out of our systems, before this war goes from childhood games with Slytherins to the real deal.” Sirius gave her big puppy dog eyes, blinking slowly at her. She shook her head pushing his face away from hers, but she was smiling.

Of course these Gryffindors were making this about their feud with Slytherin.

“Also we cannot graduate with everyone forgetting our legacy as the greatest pranksters in the history of Hogwarts.” James declared, arms wide with grandeur. “Don’t you want our first proper prank of the year to be in honour of you?”

“Fine, but you don’t get to have all the fun. I’m in on this too.”

“That’s my girl,” James caught her in a headlock and messed up her hair.

  
  


They wasted no time and by the next night, Remus had the intuition for an idea and researched how to do it, Peter complaining as he was dragged to the library. James used his practical magic skills that came easily to him to perfect the spell, and Sirius and Thea together focused on how to the logistics of the situation to catch the Slytherins.

“We’ll just get caught.” Thea had said, after Sirius’s suggestion that they infiltrate the Slytherin common room after hours. “It doesn’t matter that James is head boy, he won’t be able to justify our presence.”

And that was how Thea found out about James Potter’s invisibility cloak.

“This is even better than the stalker’s map, you bunch of creeps.” Thea marvelled excitedly. 

Sirius made a noise of indignation but Remus spoke before he could say anything. “You can’t tell anyone, Prongs flaunts it enough as it is.”

James (who was not using the invisibility and instead flashing his head boy badge if questioned) looked overly heart-stricken at Remus, clutching his chest. “Excuse I’m great at keeping the secrets that really count.”

“Yeah you are,” Remus said ardently, squeezing his shoulder. These boys. So dramatic.

Peter had decided not to come apparently, so there was just enough room under the cloak for the rest of them if Remus crouched down significantly to Sirius and Thea’s shared height of 5”11. James set off on his way, oddly with his pet rat in his pocket. Thea was sure he had never mentioned “Cheesey” before but didn’t question further when James, through giggles, said he was a biter. She would never get anywhere anyway. 

The boys had come to her, meeting her outside the Hufflepuff common room, so they didn’t have far to go to get to Slytherin’s dungeons. Which was good because they were very snug under the cloak and it was awkward walking. Such a close approximation to Sirius wasn’t helping Thea’s heart, and she was glad Remus was there to stop her from saying anything too mental or embarrassing. Sirius was blushing as well but Thea didn’t want to be as bold to assume she was the reason why. It was hot and stuffy with their mingled breath.

They’d nearly made it when Remus took a step funny on his ankle and fell down, his legs just buckling. Sirius immediately pushed Thea out of the way to get to Remus’s side, and the cloak flapped exposing them. But, there was nobody but James ahead in the hall luckily.

Sirius hoisted Remus up, holding him by the chest which he patted as he said, “Gotta take it easy there Moony, my guy. You know your bones are bitches after…” He trailed off and Thea turned not wanting to impose. They could have their secrets and the moment seemed strangely intimate. She’d never hold her friends that long if they tripped. 

Sirius fussed over Remus the rest of the way, but Remus quickly put his foot down, “I’m not letting you give me a piggyback!”

“Fine then, bridal style.” Sirius suggested holding his arms out.

Remus had just rolled his eyes at that.

Once they were directly in front of the Slytherin common room, they crouched to their knees so they could fit James under the cloak as well. And there they sat waiting for some unsuspecting Slytherin to let them through the entrance. 

Of all people, when the doors of the common room opened, it was Regulus who exited, along with Evan Rosier. 

Both Sirius and Thea tensed up and instead of rushing forward to get through the doors before they closed, Thea and the marauders sat entirely still, hardly breathing. 

Rosier was basically dragging Regulus out, who reluctantly let him with a grumpy face that Thea would normally associate with a sulking Sirius. 

The boys were clearly having an argument. They stood facing each other, Rosier with his hands on his hips and Regulus with his arms crossed.

Regulus looked different and it took a second for it to click that it was because he wasn’t in robes. Not uniform, or the posh robes she envisioned he would wear in his down time, not even some silk. No, instead he was wearing a soft forest-green jumper, and grey trackie bottoms. He looked so casual. Like he could be comfortable for once if he didn't look so uncomfortable with the conversation he was having.

“I don’t want to hear it.” Regulus huffed, looking sternly at his friend.

Rosier was nearly as stubborn though and didn't back down that easily. “Mate, you can have a crush but…”

Regulus cut off rolling his eyes, “I don’t have a crush. What are we, 12?”

“Even if you don’t, whatever it is, you can’t say you’ve not been acting off. Especially since the start of this year. You’re always alone, you never hang out with the boys anymore.”

“Just because Avery and Crouch are prats. I’ll put up with them but it doesn’t mean I have to like them does it? Anyway, I don’t know why you’re getting all moody with me, you know I’m not some social butterfly. I thought you respected that.”

Rosier sighed, his arms flopping to his side like he didn't know what else he could say. “You’re supposed to be my best mate, Reg.”

Regulus looked so torn at this. He looked down, “I know," he murmured, barely loud enough for Thea to hear.

“Just don’t forget our duty, our purpose.”

“Yeah, whatever," Regulus said offhandedly.

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

Regulus sighed, mussing the back of his hair. Thea could imagine the muscles shifting in his back as he did so. “Can we forget this? Come on, we can have a game of chess or something, and you can moon about Eugenia all you want.”

“Can I copy your Astronomy homework?”

“Don’t push it.”

They turned to go back into their common room and just before they said the password and made their way, James pointed his wand at them, casting " _Slugulus Eructo Verbums_." 

The two boys continued none of the wiser and when the portrait closed behind them James turned.

He was mainly looking at Sirius to gauge his reaction as he said, “Already two down.”

When Sirius didn't seem bothered, at least outwardly, James continued forward and the rest of them followed.

He repeated the password they had just learnt and they all crawled through into the sleek, green room ahead.

Thea didn't say that Regulus hadn't been involved in the conversation, or at least not directly. The hex wouldn't hurt him unless he was in the wrong and said mudblood. No harm, no foul if he acts like a decent human being.

That was their prank. If any of those Slytherin boys uttered that awful slur then they'd start vomiting slugs. This spell was created with the slug vomiting spell, paired with a word binding charm. Bloody smart these boys.

Yes, she allowed it, despite any previous quill borrowing, because it was the perfect sign for Thea. She just really wanted to know how soon Regulus would start vomiting slugs, if he did at all. Thea had the suspicion that Sirius felt the same way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed some marauders mischief. i’ve been reading all the young dudes by MsKingBean89 and was inspired!


	5. Chapter 5

**FIVE**

**“W** hat do you think of Regulus Black?” Thea asked Gideon five days later. They were in the library with Fabian and Marlene. Marlene was excitedly talking about her muggle studies essay to a blank-eyed Fabian, who was nodding along but clearly not listening. Gideon was trying to suggest that Thea had the answers to the Potions homework because she was in the Slug Club. Thea had been too distracted in a mind spiral to even argue. Instead, she had reached a breaking point and seemingly out of nowhere asked Gideon’s opinion on Regulus. 

There had been many a slug vomits in the last few days. The Slytherins had been caught in classes and the hallways. Thea had only gotten to witness two occurrences and heard of the others. Regulus however had not been caught, there being no rumours of him joining the gossip surrounding the strange outbreaks of slug vomiting. He had either said _mudblood_ in private with nobody making a fuss of his aftereffect, or he had not said it at all.

Thea was thinking of what to make of this, instead of writing down the side effects of overuse of _Felix Felicis_. 

“I’m not sure, I don’t exactly think about him a lot,” Gideon replied. _That makes one of us_ , Thea thought. “He’s a bit of a loner isn’t he?” Gideon added needing to come up with something for Thea. He was very diligent and providing, even in answering a supposedly offhanded question. 

He was right; Regulus was a loner, as Thea was starting to realise. Since the incident with the quill Thea had noticed Regulus was rarely with others. He sat at the back of classes alone unless assigned a seat, and during free time Thea would spot him walking around the Black lake by himself, or sat on a random windowsill somewhere with his head in a book. Sometimes, she saw him with Rosier, but most of the time Rosier with Avery and that lot. It was seldom that Regulus seemed to want to be with them. Even when he sat with his friends in the Great Hall, Thea noticed he didn’t speak, or pay attention. He just ate his food mechanically and stared forward, his eyes glazed over.

Thea was paying far too much attention.

Thea didn’t comment on any of this. She sighed, propping her head up in her hand and turning to look at Gideon. “No, I mean about the rumours going around about him?”

“That he’s a Deatheater?” Gideon was already whispering, trying to avoid the wrath of Madam Pince, but he said this extra hushed.

Thea just nodded.

Gideon exhaled extra air, and scratched the back of his neck. “Well,” he started, “I think it’s likely. You-Know-Who isn’t exactly someone who would be above recruiting children.”

“But do you think it’s likely of Black in particular? I know it’s not like we know or even talk to him, but I mean we’ve been in classes with him since first year.”

Thea sat up and Gideon turned fully to her. “I mean he is a Black and I think he’s more susceptible to follow the crowd and be malleable than Sirius, I guess. Sirius is harsh on him, calling him soft for it, but I think Sirius forgets because he managed to break out of it himself how hard it is to not adhere to the values and norms you were brought up to.

“I like Sirius, don’t get me wrong but he’s very narrow-focused and not the best at seeing the big picture. He can’t forgive Regulus for his different response to their household. Regulus has been instilled and brought up to truly believe awful values, and that’s something extremely rare to rebel against. I don’t think it is an excuse but it is a reason. 

“So, I do think Regulus has or will join the Deatheaters because it is the expectation of him, and he seems like he wants to bring his family what they see as honour. I don’t think he has much choice or will see reason to fight against that non-choice. Sirius is an anomaly unfortunately.”

Thea took in Gideon’s opinion, bouncing it off her own thoughts in her head. Gideon echoed Thea’s steadfast opinion of Regulus before he started meddling with it. 

Fabian leaned over the table saying teasingly, “What morally superior shit are you spurting now? You’re worse than Molly.” He grinned at his brother, ignoring the stern look he was getting from Madam Pince. Thea rolled her eyes, she doubted Fabian actually wanted to know what they were talking about, but had just reached his quota in listening to Marlene talk about Muggles. She was nearly as bad as Molly Prewett’s boyfriend Arthur.

“We’re talking about Black.” Gideon said pushing Fabian away and back in his seat, by the face.

“What, Sirius?” Marlene asked turning to Thea with a sly smile she didn’t like the look of.

“Regulus actually,” Thea said, already giving Marlene a pointed look.

Marlene, however, was feeling particularly devilish it seemed, as she looked Thea straight in the eyes and said. “Oh, I don’t know, Thea, I think I would rather talk about Sirius.”

Gideon chuckled softly beside her and Thea elbowed him. Traitor.

“I was just wondering,” Marlene continued innocently, “what was going on between the two of you? You’re getting very cosy as of late.”

Thea sighed. She wasn’t wrong. Thea and Sirius had been spending more time together than usual, even if mainly with the other boys as well. But he was paying her a great deal of attention which was new. 

And Thea had upped her flirting game, it being surprisingly easy after all this time to play off Sirius’s charms in her own way. It seemed that after all this time there might be a chance for her after all. That didn’t mean she felt comfortable gossiping about it with Marlene and the twins. She didn’t like being perceived, no matter how much she wished to be a big personality and leave a legacy, there was a reason she surrounded herself with such bold, loud people. 

She was like Peter in that way, which was probably why she was never really keen on him. He reflected her own insecurities in relationships, reminding her of something she didn’t like about herself.

Her point stood about bold friends letting her blend backwards though, because Thea didn’t even have to answer Marlene. Fabian was already dramatically gasping, and exclaiming, “You’re courting with another man?”

“Afraid so,” Thea said back calmly.

“How could you?” Fabian said with actual tears in his eyes. He really should pursue those acting aspirations of his, and with a face like his he’d always be on the cover of Witches’ Weekly. “After everything we’ve been through! I even owl-ed you’re foster father for your hand in marriage, and it is now I learn there is another?”

“Sorry, mate,” Thea said smiling at her ridiculous friend. 

“Tell this Sirius fellow he shall have to duel me for your hand. I shan’t go down without a fight.” Madam Pince really looked like she was about to come over and kick out Fabian this time, but it wasn’t her who reached the table first. Instead, Mary MacDonald popped up out of nowhere behind Marlene putting her head on her shoulder. 

Her dark ringlets fell and ran together with Marlene’s loose blonde hair, contrasting greatly. It was funny looking at Mary and Marlene. They were best friends but couldn’t be more different in looks. Marlene’s skin was pale while Mary’s was dark. Marlene was tall and willowy while Mary was short and curvy. Marlene was hot with large features working beautifully well for her, and Mary was cute in all her petite prettiness. 

Thea supposed she fit in the middle with dark brown hair, light brown skin, a shade somewhere between the two girls, and a curvy figure but with added height. But despite this she could never fit in between the two girls. That was impossible, they were inseparable. 

The two M’s turned and whispered to each other, and it was Thea’s turn to smile mischievously. Both Fabian and Thea eyed Gideon as he sat straighter in his chair, instantly alert. Bless his ginger soul, he could not hide his flush starkly tinting even his ears. 

Gideon and Thea were bonded with their somewhat hopeless (though that was growing increasingly debateable) upper year crushes. Thea had her thing for Sirius, but even that couldn’t compare to the utter yearning and pining Gideon underwent for Mary.

It didn’t take long for Mary to convince Marlene to ditch her studies, and stole her away all the while Fabian and Thea grinned manically at Gideon. 

“Speaking of crushes,” Thea said once they were out of ear shot.

“Don’t,” Gideon pointed his finger at Thea.

“Do you wanna hear who I fancy?” Fabian said, ready to divulge who he’d briefly fallen in love with this week.

“No,” Thea and Gideon said in unison.

Fabian, of course, ignored them anyway. “I can’t get Kamala Patil out of my head.”

“First Hufflepuff’s seeker, now our chaser,” Thea said shaking her head, “Are you just getting through all my teammates? Edgar will be next.”

Fabian gave her a cheeky grin, “He does have sparkling eyes and a firm ass.”

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Wednesday night came along again before long and with it a lack of centaurs. Thea sat against a tree, on a blanket she had the intuition to take with her. Regulus sat opposite her working on something himself.

Thea was drafting up a progress, or lack of progress, report for Sinistra but wasn’t really getting anywhere. She wanted to talk about petitioning the ministry for safer and larger forest terrain for Centaurs in the United Kingdom. But she was tired and not concisely hitting the points she needed. 

Regulus looked up from his journal and then, in a distinct moment of decision, snapped it closed. “We should play a game,” he suggested.

Thea, already putting down her parchment and quill, laughed. “A game?”

“Yeah, why not?”

“What sort of game?”

Regulus thought for a moment. “What about truth or dare?”

“What?” Thea looked at him incredously, “There’s no dares we can do at the moment that don’t involve the creatures deeper in the forest and mortal peril.”

“Just truths then,” Regulus suggested and Thea still looked skeptical. “Come on, what else are you doing?” Regulus challenged.

“Fine,” Thea caved. She really wasn’t getting much work done anyway, and she supposed this was an opportunity. 

“You go first then.”

“Me? It was your idea.”

“Just go on.”

Thea couldn’t think of a question, or at least one she had the nerve to ask straight away, so just went with the first non-Deatheater related question she thought of. “Do you ever relax? You wear your uniform pristine, you always eat like you’re at a royal dinner party. I swear you never even slouch. Do you ever just enjoy yourself, Princess?”

Regulus breathed out a chuckle, and hunched his shoulders as if to placate Thea. “There you go, I am capable of it.”

“I didn’t ask if you were capable, I was asking why.”

Regulus straightened up again. “It was how I was brought up and I keep it up because I have a lot of expectations on me and a lot of eyes watching. I’m the Black heir now. I can’t afford to misstep even in my manners. I do relax, but only really when I’m alone. Or with you I suppose.” He stopped himself short, looking at Thea for a moment with a frown creasing his forehead. A shadow passed over his face for a moment before he shook it off.

Thea didn’t say anything. She couldn’t. Even if she could, she wouldn’t want to delve into his answer and the implications hidden beneath its surface. Not yet. 

“That got deep fast,” is what Thea managed in response. 

“It’s truths, just making the best of a bad question.”

“There was nothing wrong with my question.”

“Uh-huh,” Regulus mused non-committedly. 

“Show me how it’s done, Princess.”

“Is that my nickname now then?”

“I suppose it is.”

“Hmm,” Regulus noted but didn’t object. “Okay, I actually want to know something but it’s a bit more serious.”

“Go for it.” Thea said though she felt a shot of nervous energy spark her. She began snapping a twig into tiny bits.

“What happened to your parents?”

“They died when I was too young to remember them, there’s not much more to it.” Thea lied. One question into truths and she was already lying. But she didn’t owe Regulus anything, and this was Thea’s main secret. Dumbledore himself had sworn her to secrecy. Her parents did die when she was too young to remember them, that much was true, but there was, in fact, quite a bit more to it. 

“You shouldn’t dismiss it, that… I’m sorry.” He paused for a moment. “Maybe it’s better, family’s fuck you up. Though I suppose they leave scars in a different way if they die.”

“Everyone has unique ways their family fuck them up,” Thea agreed.

“On that lovely note, it’s your turn.”

“Um, who’s your idol?”

“Seriously?”

Thea just looked at Regulus expectedly. She wouldn’t be question shamed.

“Fine, Newt Scamander.”

“I thought we were playing truths,” Thea said hypocritically, because she knew Regulus was holding back something.

“Okay, Sirius used to be. I looked up to him a lot. I’m not sure I would say he’s my idol anymore though. Not since he left.”

Thea really didn’t want to talk about Sirius with Regulus and Thea doubted Regulus particularly wanted to get into his brotherly issues either. “Your go.”

“Have you had your first kiss and if so who was it?”

Thea liked that he didn’t assume she had kissed someone. She disliked when it was expected of them when there were still plenty of people their age who hadn’t. She thought of Fabian and an embarrassing moment she could tell he got really upset over in a game of truth or dare a few parties ago. “Gideon Prewett, we kissed in fourth year to get it over with, not because we liked each other.” Thea decided to move onto her next question before Regulus could comment. “If you got to have sex with anyone in Hogwarts who would it be?”

“Pass.”

“You can’t pass.”

“I started the game, I can choose whatever rules I want.”

“Come on.”

“Alright, you probably guessed, but it would definitely be Slughorn. We’ve been over how bloody ravishing he is.”

“Very funny. Now a serious answer,” For a brief second Thea entertained the idea that he was uncomfortable answering because it would be her. She dismissed the thought, the only possibly of it being on a physical level. “If it makes it easier we can do just guys.”

That did, miraculously, make it easier for Regulus when with a lot of guys it would make it so much worse. “Potter, then.”

“I said be serious.”

“I am.”

“Oh.”

“So you’ve never thought he was cute? I mean surely those curls and glasses do it for everyone. Never had a little schoolgirl crush on him? You must tag along with him and my brother’s friends for a reason.”

“Because they’re my friends!” Which was the truth. Thea always thought they were awe-strikingly cool on a friendship basis. The crushing didn’t come until later.

“Oh, I know! It’s Lupin who does it for you isn’t it?”

“No!” Thea snorted. Not because Remus wasn’t a viable option, he was very cute, but she couldn’t imagine a more platonic relationship than her and Remus. Also, she was pretty sure he was gay. 

“Okay, who do you fancy? Not necessarily a Marauder?”

“No-one,” Thea said quickly.

“Who’s your type, at least? Give me something, Knightley.”

 _Black hair, grey eyes, a fucked up family lineage._ “When did this turn into a gossip fest of who we fancy?”

“Someone is avoiding my question.”

“You said we could pass, so pass.”

“Right, tell me which girl you would fuck in the school. Give me that much.”

Thea thought for a moment, there were many gorgeous girls to choose from. She almost said Professor Sinistra but alas a Ravenclaw student prevailed. “Emmeline Vance.”

Regulus considered. “Dorcas Meadowes’s pal? Yeah, that’s fair.”

“Is it my turn?”

“It is.”

Thea took a breath, this question she thought of was seemingly innocent but could have undertones of something much more. “Would you ever get, or have you got, any tattoos?”

Thea fully expected for Regulus to say no but that she could maybe gauge something from his reaction. What she didn’t expect was his response.

He did pause, like he knew what Thea was inferring, but only for a brief second before he smiled his little smug smile and said, “Actually, I already have quite a few.”

“Wait, what?” Thea was shocked as Regulus started unbuttoning his shirt and taking his arm out of the one side. Thea could see his right arm and torso absolutely covered in tattoos, from the sleeve running down his arm to the ones spreading from his ribs to his hips.

Thea stared.

She had never even seen a glimpse of any of them before but they were carefully placed in only coverable places and it’s not like she’d seen him with his chest laid bare to her before. Which also might've been something that made her flustered, or even uncomfortable, and while she certainly noted how toned he was (a definite Quidditch body) she was too focused on the array of art before her.

There were lots of magical creatures, all hanging out together, and as they were magical tattoos they were even playing with each other. The kneazle bopped the cat that sat primly, a dragon flew in a circled path around his forearm, an owl perched on a hippogriffs head and a kniffler tried to catch the snitch that was flying about. They were all beautifully and artistically done, not the same as the real things but still as lively. He also had a few more quidditch themed tattoos, as well as more random ones like different flowers and plants, a cool abstract skeleton glowing as the light in a lantern and the Leo constellation.

A large dark dog paw print stood out stark on his chest that reminded Thea of Sirius. She couldn’t make herself believe that he didn’t get it thinking of him, but maybe it was just his obsession with animals.

Thea was fascinated with all of them, especially because she had never seen magical tattoos before. The pieces of art were alive on his skin, some of the most gorgeous pieces she had seen in a long time. 

“This is my cat, Countess Cordelia,” Regulus said, picking a place to start in explaining them since Thea hadn’t said anything but a soft _wow_ when he revealed them.

“Countess Cordelia?” Thea laughed, eyebrows raised. The cat on his arm hissed at her.

“You cannot tell me she is not a Countess.” He was not wrong. The tattoo of his cat sat with absolute superiority and regal attitude. 

“I wouldn’t have expected you to have a cat,” Thea commented, “I picture all Slytherin boys with grand Screech and Eagle Owls called something like Tempo or Hunter.”

“Wow stereotyping much? And coming from the open-minded Hufflepuff.”

“Touché.” Thea said, naturally leaning closer to examine the tattoos more. She noticed a quote running just under the line his collarbone drew. It read in exquisite lettering:

_We should always strive for empathy._

Thea reached out, and when she was a wisp away from tracing her finger across the quote, Regulus inhaled sharply and Thea quickly retracted her hand.

“That’s a really nice message,” Thea said because she meant it but also to move past the almost touching.

“It’s a quote from Newt Scamander. I think it’s really important as a message but also the context he said it in. He was talking of the treatment of magical creatures and how they should not be treated as lesser or dangerous. Wizards are not the only beings on this earth that are important.”

“He was a wise man.”

“See, my idol.”

“What’s the point of this one?” Thea pointed at a strip band of dark flowers.

“Not anything in particular. I just think it's nice art. Not all the tattoos have meaning,” He points out a little teacup, “Look, I legit got this cup because I like tea.”

Thea shook her head affectionately. “How did you even get all these? You’re not of age yet.”

Regulus grinned wide, not a subdued smile and it was rather astounding actually. He looked good when not so restrained. “They never asked for ID or anything. For my first one I was actually more anxious about getting ID'd than for the actual tattoo which probably sounds weird. But yeah I just acted with enough confidence they didn’t question me.”

“That’s actually really cool.” 

His grin remained wide and pleased. “There’s this place in Diagon Alley but I’ve found one in Hogsmeade, more on the outskirts. I’m actually planning on getting more…” He was talking with excitement now as he reached for the journal he was doing work in earlier, except it wasn’t what Thea thought. It was actually a sketchbook, Thea realised, as Regulus shuffled beside her. He opened the book to some messy sketches. “Here, I draw my ideas. Like these swirling clouds will rain and snow and everything. I know they’re not the best obviously but it's relaxing to do and gives my tattoo artist reference.”

Thea took the book in her hand as Regulus was offering. She flipped through, and he was right, he certainly didn’t have a career as an artist but the messy lines portrayed imagination and the potential for brilliant tattoos. She flipped through finding countless fascinating designs. Before she got to this one page however, Regulus placed his hands over hers for a second, stopping her. 

His hands were significantly bigger than hers, covering her own from view. Thea could feel them against her own, calloused in a way she would not expect from an upper-class pureblood. His nails were perfectly clean and cut to adhere to that however.

Regulus lifted the one hand, the veins prominent on the back of it as he clenched it and unclenched it once as if suddenly pained.

With the other hand Regulus silently took the book back and Thea looked up. 

“I really like them,” Thea said, and it came out almost a whisper and gave Regulus an intentional smile that appeared softly on her face. “Your tattoos, and the designs.”

“Thank you,” He looked at Thea with something like wonder in his eyes. His eyes travelled around Thea’s face before a thought clearly loomed in his mind and he stopped.

He sat back abruptly making Thea register how close they actually had been moments ago. He began buttoning his shirt back up and Thea stared at his hands working on the delicate task. “Actually, your friend McKinnon’s brother did my tattoos, and fixed up my terrible designs.”

“Really?” Thea said stunned from whatever had just happened. She was suffering from severe whiplash having Regulus enter her life more. “You definitely couldn’t have used your actual identity.”

“Oh, of course not. Couldn’t have anyone chatting about the Black heir getting tattoos. My parents would kill me if they found out, never mind my cousins. I went incognito,” He wiggled his eyebrows at Thea. “I even wore clothes Sirius left at the house. This T-Rex tee and a leather jacket. My name was Benji Williams and I was a real ladies man. Wish I could be that cool in real life to be honest.”

“I never thought you would break the rules like that.”

Regulus shrugged. “Neither did I but— well we all have to at some point I suppose.”

“Some rules aren’t right, I just supposed I saw you as the blindly lawful type.”

“You don’t really know me, Knightley.”

“Yeah, I don’t.”

“Anyway, what about you? Do you have a fake name? Like one you would give out if a guy wanted to owl you or for something like that?”

Thea did not want to mention the name she went by every day was technically fake. That every time Regulus called her Knightley that was a fake name. “Actually I don’t,” Thea lied.

“What really? Then we have to make one.”

“Alright then.”

“Hmm, so you actually do suit Thea, but you could also be a Jodie or Lucie or something like that.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“What about Prudence?”

Thea looked at him in horror.

“Oh I know! Gretchen?”

Thea shook her head.

“Bertha?”

Thea was laughing now, and breathed out, “Stop,” through her giggles.

“Euphemia?”

“Hey, do not disrespect Mrs Potter like that! Effie took me in after first year, y’know.”

“I know,” Regulus said before quickly adding, “Agnes? I don't know you just have that Grandma vibe about you.”

“Okay, Pipe down, _Regulus._ You can’t really say much about those names.”

“Excuse me, I’ll have you find Regulus is elegant. The family names as stars were the only thing the Blacks got right.”

Thea raised her eyebrows at that, “The only thing?”

Regulus immediately began to backtrack. “I’m exaggerating, we’re obviously the best family in the sacred twenty-eight.”

“Hmm, whatever you say.” 

She’d nearly made up her mind about Regulus, through all that had been said tonight and from previous transactions: Regulus was not perfect and definitely not a saint, and he was still following the pressure of his family per say but he was redeemable. He didn’t seem to agree with the values. Perhaps he really had idolised Sirius enough to take on his values as well, or came to it himself through his empathy for animals and then extending that to other humans, as he should.

He hadn’t vomited slugs, he never treated her as lesser like other blood purists. 

Maybe, just maybe, they were all wrong about what Regulus Black was capable of.

Before she lost the nerve, she made her mind up and asked, “Okay, my turn for a question.”

“Go ahead.”

She needed her confirmation. “What do you think of muggleborns?” 

Thea looked at him with wide eyes full of hope, and Regulus blinked back. He looked down for a moment seeming to think about it, and what seemed like an age later he looked up with a look of resolution on his face. “I know you won’t want to hear this because you are one, and I can be civil with you, but from an objective point of view muggleborns are inferior to real witches and wizards aren’t they? If anything they’re thieves, sneaking into the magical community and stealing away the purity that was held up by families like mine for so long. I don’t expect you to agree with me, but purebloods are being constantly pushed down by all this liberal shit and we should, I’m sorry, have more rights because we’re superior and have tradition and lineage on our side. The elite should remain elite and muggleborns are jeopardising that.”

Throughout this answer, Thea got increasingly disappointed to almost a ridiculous level. Why on earth did she expect anything else? She had fooled herself and had been right to be second guessing herself. There were no deeper layers to Regulus that he was unveiling to her. He was just polite and civil to her, but that meant nothing if this is what he thought of her and all other muggleborns. 

God, how naïve could she be.

“I really thought—'' Thea stopped herself. She stood up, and picked up her blanket shaking it more aggressively than needed. Standing above Regulus she looked down at him anger radiating from her, “You know what Black? It's all well and good having that Newt Scamander quote tattooed but if you can extend empathy to animals and not other human beings, then you’re not empathic. You just think animals are cute and probably want to fuck them, you little inbred creep.”

"Damn," Regulus responded in a low voice.

“Goodnight, Black.”

“Wait, Knightly, I—”

She was already walking away, “I said goodnight.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well i guess i resolved the impasse thea and regulus had… now some enemies to lovers type stuff can start happening 👀. you’ll be reading regulus' pov for the first time in the next chapter!


	6. Chapter 6

**SIX**

**R** egulus had fucked it.

Of course, he had meant to, but that still didn’t stop him feeling sorry for himself. He lay on his back with the green satin curtains drawn around his bed despite it being midday. Streams of light, breaking through gaps, highlighted Countess Cordelia beside him and the quill he was twirling between his fingers. He really ought to have given it back to Thea, but it was too late now.

He switched to ruffling the black feather before smoothing it again on a repeated cycle as he sighed and, trying to make light of the situation, dramatically said, “Oh, Countess Cordelia, woe is me.”

His fancy ragdoll looked him in the eyes before turning in a circle and starting to clean her butt.

“Charming,” he murmured, averting his gaze back to the quill.

He was being ridiculous. He did what he needed to do and that was that. He didn’t have to be such a moody teenager about it. She was a girl. A ridiculously pretty, feisty, kind, smart and interesting girl who he had a crush on, but she was still just a girl and he had much more important things to be worrying about.

Things which made it necessary to say those things to Thea last night and ward her off him. It was for her own good. It was for his own good. He needed to stop chatting, and flirting (had it been flirting?) and generally just spending time with her before he got too attached. Regulus had always thought Thea was cute, probably since first year if he was being honest, but starting to know her was too much. She was too much for him.

He just couldn’t have her liking him. Not that she did or would. But last night he got the sense that she was starting to trust him somewhat, at least not be so vehemently against him as she had at the start of the year. Having a small, unrequited crush was one thing but them mutually liking one another was something else.

It was simply getting to a point where he had to put on his façade that he did for everyone else. She couldn’t know him. Nobody could. And those big, dark eyes of hers looked like they could sear into the soul.

He needed to prove to Evan and the rest that, if anything, he only found her fit. What he needed was to maintain his image and even being friends with Thea would jeopardize that.

And his image as the new Black heir, the golden boy, the perfect son and Slytherin, which might seem a shallow thing to desperately keep up, but now it was dangerous.

He was a Deatheater.

The Dark Lord had personally chosen him as his youngest recruit, at Bellatrix’s suggestion, and he had not just the Black family watching him but every Deatheater family. He was seen as a leader now at Hogwarts, with even the likes of Severus Snape trailing after him.

He could not highlight a muggleborn to any of them. Merlin knows what his family, what Bellatrix, would do to make him stay focused on his path. A path he did not want but certainly wasn’t stupid enough, or brave enough, to fight against.

So, he had to make Thea hate him. She couldn’t be the exception to his front, and he’d allowed her to be for far too long. He should've said worse to her last night in all honesty, Severus had called his supposed best friend the m-word for fucks sake, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. He would just have to do better in the future.

She was just a girl. That’s all she could be.

He sat up quick enough that Countess Cordelia gave him a grave look of indignation. He opened the drawer of his bedside table and chucked in the quill before slamming it shut again. This time Countess Cordelia really had enough of his shit so leaped off the bed, abandoning him, and went to find a more peaceful location to groom herself.

He watched the 6-year-old madam trot off. Thea hadn’t been off the mark. His father had offered him an Eagle owl as his pet for Hogwarts but Regulus shyly had requested a cat. So, of course, his parents had gotten an excessively expensive purebred that was the closest to a lady a cat could be. He adored her though, she was probably his favourite companion at Hogwarts now, even if she treated him harshly. Apparently he liked that in his women.

Regulus trailed his finger over the quote below his collarbone. He scoffed at himself. _We should always strive for empathy?_ He really was a hypocrite.

He yanked up the sleeve of his top and stared in hatred and mortification at the dark mark there. On its own with no connotations, it would be a cool tattoo, but instead it represented everything he was too weak to fight against.

He glowered at it. It’s why he got all his other tattoos: to try and make this mark mean less. And while he had gotten addicted to tattoos, they didn’t work for their original purpose.

_Ugh._

He shoved the sleeve back down roughly. He had to get up and do something instead of being pitiful. He spent far too much of his time being angsty as of late.

He got up, dragging back the curtains, and scratching his chin. He needed to shave but really couldn’t be arsed in that moment, so simply made himself presentable in all other ways. He put on his casual robes, making sure all his tattoos were covered, before slipping on his shoes and making it down to the common room.

It was easy to spot the boys, taking their space as self proclaimed Slytherin kings on the carved chairs and long sofa under the mantlepiece. Crouch, Avery and Mulciber huddled together in the chairs with Snape sitting stoically at their side. Evan had taken the sofa along with Nott and Dolohov. They had a few girls with them: Avery’s girlfriend, and Eugenia Travers who sat on Evan’s lap like an ornament. The blonde boy was stroking her thigh as she giggled and Regulus couldn’t help but roll his eyes.

Regulus sucked in a breath before putting on a bored smile, and sauntering over to them to join their pretty tableau. He just had to raise his eyebrows at Nott for him to move from Evan’s side and open up a space on the sofa for him.

“Reg,” Evan greeted with a smile, despite the girl on his lap, he didn’t have the whole dismissively cool thing down. He had too much of a friendly and happy demeanour, not to mention his baby face.

“Gentlemen,” Regulus said with a slight smirk before nodding to the girls as well and adding, “Ladies. What’s happening?”

“We might ask you the same thing,” Mulciber piped up, “Where have you been?”

Avery chipped in, “Where is he always?”

Regulus stares them down, “You do know I have important things to be doing. I can’t be sitting around playing chess like a schoolboy all the time.”

Evan laughed, “Oh little Reg, so superior. You do realise you are still a schoolboy right?”

Regulus just whacked him upside the head at that. Eugenia made a little noise of indignant surprise and Regulus said to her, “Don’t worry Travers, there’s not enough brain in this one to damage.”

“Eugenia likes me for a different muscle than my brain, don’t you darling?”

“Evan!” Eugenia gasped, scandalised, hitting Evan’s chest.

“Your penis isn’t actually a muscle,” Regulus said dismissively, before he looked away from them bored, and maybe slightly jealous in a way.

“Regulus,” Nott started eagerly, and Regulus lazily pulled his eyes to him. “But what have you been doing? Has _he_ asked anything of you. Have you been talking to _him_?”

“Must you incessantly ask such things?” Regulus said, the way he always warded the boys off when they started asking things. He felt a bit harsh but it was the role he had to play. Most of them had stopped, wanting to seem mature and not in need of Regulus's input, but Nott was like an annoying little brother and couldn’t get the hint. “You know I cannot talk about that, especially with this much company. Use your head.”

Nott looked down and Regulus felt a pang of pity for him.

“You know Crabbe’s uncle joined up,” Evan said, taking over the gossip. He could be a good man that Evan. He definitely was a good friend, but there was a drift between them that was growing as Regulus slowly started to resent all that he’d been brought up to be and Evan embraced his blood purity with adoration.

It was getting difficult being friends with all of them, but it was Evan that he felt the most conflicted about. He could no longer show Evan his true opinions and thoughts, and well that would put a bridge in any friendship. It was extremely difficult to feel a gap between his best friend of 6 years. Especially when he was attentive to Regulus’s social irregularities and introversion in moments like this.

They continued with their only barely discreet talk about Deatheater happenings, and other random pureblood gossip, and Regulus zoned out. He nodded and smiled and laughed in the right places but he didn’t retain one word.

He only started to pay attention when Evan’s younger sister skipped over.

Victoria Rosier. Slytherin’s angel. Blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin. Where his cuteness underplayed Evan’s seriousness, in Victoria the family trait was revered as precious. She was tiny with a nose that belonged on a rabbit. She was a pure white beauty that most the Slytherin boys had at least a small crush on.

And she liked Regulus. That much had been clear since his 5th year and her 4th. Sadly, Regulus had never returned the feeling. He just smiled politely at Victoria as she stood behind him.

“Hey, Reg.” She said batting her eyelashes down at him.

“What are you doing here?” Evan cut in.

“I was talking to Regulus.” Victoria said shortly, “Besides, this is just as much my common room as yours.”

“Well, we don’t want to be disturbed. Run along, Vicky.”

Victoria looked to Regulus but he just looked apologetically to her and shrugged.

She huffed out a big sigh, “You’re such a dick!” She exclaimed to Evan.

“I won’t lose any sleep over it.”

She turned and swept away with an unladylike grunt.

“You could be a bit nicer to her, you know.” Regulus suggested.

“Don’t go sweet on her now,” Evan warned. “You know my rules.”

And that was his perfect excuse, and rejection tactic for Victoria. When she asked and every boy who was obsessed with her was confused at his objection. Evan would never let Regulus anywhere near his sister despite both their families already expressing that they would think it an advantageous match. So he never needed to explain to Victoria that while she was a nice, and surprisingly funny girl, he would never see her the way she wanted.

That didn’t mean he didn’t like teasing Evan about it, “Would you prefer if I was mean to her? That'll make the bedroom dirty.”

“Don’t make me curse you.”

“I’d like to see you try.”

Before replying Evan was distracted by something Snape said, and just like that gone was the comfortable “schoolboy” stuff (as he had put it). Evan was swallowed up by the conversation and Regulus withdrew to his pacified state.

Luckily it wasn’t long before Dorcas Meadowes approached the group. She was quite a shy girl, and was scratching the back of her hand nervously as everyone’s attention turned to her.

“Hi, I just wanted to grab Regulus to talk about the upcoming game.” Dorcas was on the Slytherin Quidditch team with Regulus, the keeper, and one of the best and ruthless strategists.

Regulus jumped at the chance, not literally. On the outside he coolly said, “Wouldn’t hurt. How about we take a walk? I need to stretch my legs anyway.”

Dorcas ran off to get her scarf but it wasn’t long before they were walking out the portrait and into the corridor.

“So we need to do so much better.” Dorcas started, getting straight to the point as she always did. “We would’ve been fucked points wise if you didn’t catch the snitch last game. We hardly scored at all and Potter got so many goals past me I could have died of embarrassment right there on the field. Not to mention McKinnon is too talented for her own good. I could strangle that girl.” Regulus held his breath to see if Dorcas would get derailed and start ranting about Gryffindor’s beater and Thea’s friend, Marlene McKinnon. It was the only times she ever went on tangents.

Today, Dorcas continued normally. “But luckily you’re actually competent so even though we didn’t win we’re only 10 points behind. The next game is Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff, and then we’re against Ravenclaw. I think we could have a good team this year, but with Smith still as captain we need to pull the team together. He’s too aggressive, I swear the masculinity complex on that little boy. He doesn’t think and therefore doesn’t realise our team needs coordination and we all need to get used to how each other fly and work as a unit.”

“I agree, if Smith doesn’t stop harassing that 3rd year he’ll never actually score a goal.”

They easily talked about Quidditch and plans for team cohesion as they took their walk looping around the grounds. It was always blissfully simple with Dorcas, and sometimes he wished they could be closer friends but paradoxically that would ruin the easiness.

He was glad that they had both at least gotten to the stage that they could get through a conversation. Two quiet people could often lead to disaster and since they both joined the Slytherin quidditch team in 2nd year they have sat in many awkward silences. So, at least Regulus could claim they were friendly enough to be past that.

Dorcas walked with smooth fluidity beside him, and talked clearly and concisely, pausing to think before she spoke and therefore never stuttering. She really was a great girl, much too good to be out walking with him.

He would fancy her if she didn’t remind him too much of himself: a wallflower, Quidditch fanatic, fake grace as a defensive measure, and an appreciator of the arts. She could even be as much as a dick as him if it suited her.

However, she was a toned black girl with an impressive afro so he really couldn’t say they were similar in looks. He was distinctly pale in the way a sick Victorian child might be, but at least he wasn’t quite as weedy as one anymore. He’d finally hit puberty properly over the summer, thank Merlin.

So they walked around, and talked about surface level things easily, and when the sun hit Dorcas in a particularly pretty way he didn’t romanticise it like he would do with someone else he was not thinking about.

Just as he didn’t stare at Victoria’s impressively silky hair as it flowed behind her when she bounced away from him. It was probably a problem the amount of beautiful girls Regulus felt absolutely nothing stir for. He’d even had a gay crisis about it last year but it’s not like he felt much desire for guys either.

He appreciated both genders aesthetically, girls more than boys certainly, but he wasn’t lying when he said he thought James Potter was cute. The brother’s unattainable best friend definitely added some spice there.

But never had he actually felt undeniable, intense attraction to someone. There was only one person who had him sitting bolt up upon her entrance to a fancy dinner in a lacey purple dress that made her arse look fantastic. Nobody else who made his chest feel like it was concaving in when she nearly brushed her fingertips along his collarbone.

It was this girl that Regulus could see in front of him as he and Dorcas went back into the castle. On instinct he ducked behind a statue as he looked ahead. Dorcas, confused but luckily willing to go with the flow, joined him. They peered together, their heads poking out the side of the statue.

There she was in a loose bright shirt, tight flared trousers and gogo boots. The combination worked wonders for her, those muggles knew what they were doing with fashion.

There she was leaning casually up against the stone wall. She wasn’t alone though. Instead, she was smiling and laughing with a boy who crowded her in, with an arm against the wall above her shoulder.

There she was with his brother.

Thea and Sirius.

He should have known. Of course. Sirius. That’s who Thea couldn’t say she liked in their game of truths. She fancied his perfect older brother.

Sirius always called Regulus the perfect one but he was so wrong it was ridiculous. Sirius had everything Regulus ever wanted. Be it under the category of looks, personality, friends, freedom or apparently now: relationships.

“What is it?” Dorcas asked as Regulus stopped staring and instead turned his back to the statue and knocked his head against it in sudden exhaustion. “What’s going on?”

He laughed bitterly. “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

He had more problems than Althea Knightley.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well there you have a day in the life of regulus, aka the biggest simp.


	7. Chapter 7

**Y** **EAR 6**

_

**WINTER**

_"Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure; seldom can it happen that something is not a little disguised or a little mistaken."_

― **Jane Austen, EMMA**

* * *

**SEVEN**

**T** he frosted grass crunched beneath Thea’s feet as she walked onto the Quidditch pitch with the rest of the Hufflepuff team. It was bitching cold, the air nipping at her face, and Edgar and his Northern blood was making fun of her Londoner goosebumps. Shivering, she elbowed him in the ribs, which caused Gideon to berate her and then he ended up with an elbow in the ribs also. 

They’re all laughing about it, Edgar still calling Thea a “pussy baby” when they rammed into Kamala Patil’s back as she stopped short.

Kamala was already rubbing her temples, mentally psyching herself up, before Thea realised what was going on. Following the gaze of the rest of the team she saw the Slytherin team flying above during her team’s allotted time on the pitch. 

Gideon furrowed his brow, all confused and innocent as he said, "But I thought it was our time on the pitch?"

Thea patted him on his sweet shoulder and Kamala sighed saying, “It is.”

“Oh, well we should let them know they’ve made a mistake.” Gideon said.

“It’s not a mistake,” Thea said decisively.

She was in a fighting mood. Especially where Regulus was involved and she could see him flying about up there and being good at it with his impeccable grace—the bastard. Before she could better consider Thea mounted her broom.

“She’s taking her bat. Why’s she taking her bat?” Gideon asked hopelessly as she flew off, zooming upwards in the brute manner she took with flying. 

She was being irrational and that much was obvious when she didn’t fly to their captain, but instead chased down Regulus. She came close to barrelling into him but swerved at the last second so she slid abruptly in front of him.

Regulus, infuriatingly, didn’t even seem to flinch, just halted perfectly. 

There was a moment where they sat floating, looking at each other in the upshot of their broken stalemate. The words they last spoke hung there as their locked stare grew in intensity. The atmosphere fizzled around them.

“Oh, Knightley, my lucky day,” Regulus started. His voice was so thick with sarcasm that it sat heavy in Thea’s stomach like a starchy meal. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

“I think you know.” She couldn’t keep hostility and passion out of her tone, she couldn’t do the smug indifference thing that stirred something in her, driving her mad.

Thea swore he was purposely making his voice more posh when he spoke, lilting more than usual, as he drawled ( _drawled_ , for fucks sake), “I actually never took divination so I’m afraid you might have to fill me in here.”

“It’s our time on the pitch.” Thea said purposely slowly to express how she didn’t appreciate him playing dumb. “We’ve booked it and yet here you are.”

“Oh, we must’ve not realised. You know, being Hufflepuffs it’s easy to forget about you.” The grandeur and condensation in his voice was exactly how Thea previously imagined he spoke.

He’d been so perfectly fucking civil for so long, even nice, and now Thea supposed this was it. Fine, if that's how it was going to be. Just fine. At least now she could feel justified in her dislike. She was ready for open fire on the quidditch pitch. 

“Oh, just fuck off.” She was simultaneously fed up already, and relishing in taking out her aggression without filter. She’d somehow gotten herself emotionally involved in him being prejudiced and privileged and now, in her (possibly weird) sense of things, Regulus was the perfect outlet. “We have our first match before yours, we have priority here.”

Regulus pouted. “I thought Hufflepuffs were supposed to be nice? So come on, be the doormats that you are and scurry along.”

Thea ignored how she noticed that Regulus hadn’t shaved and how his scruffy stubble was a good look compared to his usual pristine appearance. She focused on his shitty, arrogant words and how to tear him down a notch. Could he really not think of better material than Hufflepuff stereotypes? Thea wanted to laugh, and she did let out a small, sharp chuckle before saying, “If you need extra practice so much don’t impinge on other teams. It’s desperate.”

There was a pause, and then: “As desperate as you trailing after my brother?”

Thea stopped short at that. How did he know anything about that? He certainly didn’t the other day when he ridiculously thought she liked James or Remus. She was too startled to say anything better than, “What has that got to do with anything?” 

Regulus shrugged. “Sorry, just thought of desperation and an image of you pining after Sirius appeared in my mind's eye. Couldn’t be helped.”

Thea wanted to slap him. He may be toned now, more leanly muscled than lanky, but Thea bet she could easily crush him like the curvy goddess she was. Failing that, she was the one who had the bat. She twirled it in her hand, sizing Regulus up.

Merlin, he knew where to hit the nerve. She hated that he was smart, and therefore she hadn’t needed to let on much for him to pinpoint her insecurities. He got the bullseye. Well, fine, Thea knew where Regulus’s nerves were too. “I get it, you have intricate family issues, but I don’t think you should deflect your own desperation in your relationship with Sirius onto me. I just have a crush, you’re the one who wanted to live up to who your brother is and couldn’t.”

“Oh, Love, you have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t I, Princess?”

Their intense eye contact hadn’t relinquished, only became more apparent as tense silence fell at that. Thea had her eyebrows raised in a challenge, and Regulus appeared distinctly unaffected apart from the small crease in his brow where Thea’s words sat. 

In the bright white of the sky, Thea noticed that Regulus had some green in his eyes. She had never realised without the highlight of daylight that he had a swirl of colours: the newly discovered green being ringed by the more obvious grey. 

Of course the damned boy had dramatic and pretty eyes—as striking as they were disconcerting. 

Thea was so caught up in her death stare that she didn’t notice the attention of everyone in both teams on them. The Slytherins had all landed on the ground and looked up with the Hufflepuffs. At the dead-end of their argument, Smith decided the show was over. He called up, shouting, “Black! Come on, we're leaving.”

Regulus didn’t say anything, not to Smith, or to Thea. He just kept eye contact for a moment longer before flashing a smug smile and flying off after his captain and the rest of his team who were making their way to the exit. 

Thea went in the opposite direction, descending amongst her own team. Kamala looked disapproving but only said in a motherly tone, “You and your temper, Knightley.”

She got on with her plan for their practice. She went on about starting with their connection exercises, looking at Thea pointedly when saying she could add in an extra zen one today. 

As Kamala talked, Gideon sidled up to Thea and whispered, “What was that?”

“He’s a dick,” Thea replied defiantly.

“I mean sure, but that was still a bit intense.” He tried to catch Thea’s eyes but she wouldn’t let him.

“Guess I’m just in a bad mood. Can we drop it?”

Gideon gave Thea a strange look but didn’t press any further.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

  
  


“Thea! Oh my God, Thea,” Lily was saying through her laughter with the other girls, “You have hear this!” She tried to start telling whatever this story was but she couldn’t get through half a sentence without laughing too hard to continue. 

The three of them walked towards Thea as a snapshot of an effortless cool trio. Lily, the smart and bossy one. Mary, the chill and tough one. Marlene, the sporty and crude one. 

Thea was drained. She’d had a full day of classes with no free periods, before yet another extended Quidditch practice, and since the girls had said they’d be in the library she’d gone to join them. But she couldn’t find them anywhere. So she waited, and wrote up her Centaur petition (one she was trying extra hard on now she’d stopped attending the weekly sessions of pointless waiting).

She gave up on the girls coming just to meet them as she was leaving. 

Subdued, not quite being able to drum up her usual zest, Thea asked, “I thought you said you needed to study?”

“We did, but we got distracted.” Mary said in her husky voice. Thea didn’t know how to question further, especially laidback Mary who she doubted would feel the same in her position.

Marlene took a few deep breaths and managed to control herself to relay what happened, “Okay, so you know that map of the boys’? The Marauder’s map or whatever? We stole it from them. Or well, Lily did. She saw it poking out Peter’s bag in their class and just swiped it, the beautiful bastard.”

“He didn’t even notice, and I thought James was the oblivious one,” added Lily with her mischievous grin that came out of hiding at surprising times. “We couldn’t get it to work though. It seemed like a blank piece of parchment but I knew it wasn’t and we kept using different spells to open it and the boys had charmed it so it kept telling us to bug off essentially.”

“Yeah,” Marlene laughed. “What did it say again, when you tried?”

Lily rolled her eyes and put on her best James impression (she had gotten it down to a T over the years). “ _Mr. Prongs would like to tell his dear Evans that he adores that she’s a massive busybody but that there should be consequences for her stealing...his heart._ ”

Thea smiled and laughed politely. “Yeah… that sounds like James.”

“It really is impressive spellwork.” Lily said. Marlene ruffled her auburn hair and said something about being a nerd and Lily shook her off. “It’s true. Those boys are too smart for their own good.”

Thea was inclined to agree. “The intricacies of the stalker’s map are one’s to marvel over.” Thea didn’t get a reaction at her stalker’s map joke anymore but she couldn’t help calling it that. “But we can’t tell the boys that. We don’t want to encourage their arrogance.”

“Yes, yes, they’re smart,” Mary said offhandedly, “but they still had to bribe us to get the map back.”

“Bribe you?” Thea prompted.

Marlene excitedly continued. “Yeah, that’s the best part. They figured out we had the map but we wouldn’t give it back to them. Then they offered an all exclusive trip to Honeydukes after hours and all the sweets we could want for it. I thought they were being ridiculous but never underestimate those boys, I swear. They showed us this passage and oh Merlin, there’s this whole tunnel underground that leads straight to the Honeydukes. Can you believe it?”

Mary continued the story, seamlessly transitioning. “And we went in and just grabbed everything we wanted. Lily and James of course were slaves to capitalism and ended up paying for everything we took. Well, James did, he wouldn’t let Lily pay when she tried to.”

Lily shook her head but smiled. “And he calls himself a feminist.” Thea caught Marlene noticing what she had recently: that Lily was going from scornful to fond when it came to James. Marlene frowned at this however, freckles meeting as her forehead screwed up.

“He’s just loaded, Lily,” Mary laughed offhandedly, already knowing and not caring about Lily’s developing feelings. “He wouldn’t have let Remus pay either if he’d offered. Let that Sleekeasy fortune pay for this.”

Thea officially felt disheartened and left out by the end of the tale. So when the girls went to go to the library, Thea joined them because she didn’t want to miss out on more. She wanted to spend time with them even if she’d done all her work and was tired as hell.

She was lucky that they all had a sugar rush and didn’t only do schoolwork, despite Lily’s berating at them chatting. Probably due to the lingering effects of the Marauders on the girls, the conversation didn’t take long to turn to romance. 

The usual taunting and teasing with Lily about James took place. Thea happily contributed, but quickly felt out of sorts again when Mary and Marlene kept exchanging knowing looks. Thea didn’t know how to ask what she was missing. 

Mary interrupted suddenly at one point, saying Lily could have a break. She discussed the Ravenclaw boy she was talking to, and his friend that she’d accidentally developed a small crush on. Thea, as the loyal friend she was, and valiantly tried to subtly talk up Gideon. But Thea was never good at being subtle and at this point Mary probably assumed Thea herself was obsessed and in love with Gideon.

Then it was Thea’s turn.

It was Marlene who dictated the change, asking. “So has Black asked you out yet?”

Stupidly, Thea’s mind automatically went to Regulus first. “What?” She asked, shocked and almost panicked. “Why would he?” It was only after she said this in an outburst that she realised Marlene meant Sirius. Of course she meant Sirius.

“Because you’ve been flirting like maniacs since the start of term.” Mary said slowly, confused at Thea’s reaction. 

Thea backtracked, shaking her head. “I don’t know, I honestly just think he’s having a bit of fun toying with me.”

“Sirius, wouldn’t do that.” Lily started and all the girls immediately raised their eyebrows at her in doubt. She rolled her eyes at them. “Well, he wouldn’t anymore and not to you.”

“In any case,” Thea shrugged, “he hasn’t asked me out.”

“You should ask him out,” Lily suggested.

“You don’t think it’s desperate?” Thea questioned. The image Regulus painted of her floated in her head.

Mary looked amused, twirling her pen between her fingers. “I ask boys out all the time. Do you think I’m desperate?”

“Yeah, it’s 1977!” Marlene exclaimed. “It’s the time of women going and getting what they want with no remorse, that includes this. If you want him, get him. You shouldn’t have to wait around.”

Thea smiled at the girls’ hype and considered it. “I’ll think about it.”

“No you have to promise you’ll do it now.” Marlene said with an eager grin.

“Yeah, Thea, do it for women.” Mary added, with a lazy smirk.

“Do it for yourself.” Lily said, mischief still playing in her smile.

“Ugh, fine. I’m not making an unbreakable vow or anything but I suppose I will.” Thea agreed, already thinking of backing out. “I can’t promise positive results though.”

“Nah, Sirius has to say yes, I mean look at you.” Marlene gestured Thea up and down. It wasn’t her looks Thea was worried about though, it was her clingy, apparently desperate, aura. “On the minimal chance he doesn’t, Sirius isn’t the sort of lad to be mean about it, or even tell anyone.”

“What about you Marlene?” Thea said, tactlessly diverting the conversation. “You’re very good at expressing your opinions but we never discuss your love life.” 

Marlene forced a laugh that came out clunky. “No boy is good enough for me. My standards are too high, they're unachievable.” 

“Exactly,” Mary agreed quickly. She slung her arm around Marlene. “Nobody is worth our Mar.”

“But Sirius is worth me?” Thea questioned.

“And James me?” Lily echoed.

“Sorry, girls, of course they aren’t,” Mary corrected. “We should all go celibate and go into a nunnery.”

“Bit late for you Mary.” Lily pointed out, gaining a pen thrown at her.

“Why I never.” Mary said, hand over her heart. “You should know that virginity is a construct so I can simply just claim it back.”

“I think we’d look hot in the gowns.” Thea added, even though she really didn’t think they would unless they were talking Halloween costumes. But there was an idea for next year.

“Exactly, thank you Thea,” Mary said and Thea didn’t like to admit how pleased it made her.

“I feel like you're missing the point of being nuns,” Lily said, picking up Mary’s pen off the floor and flinging it back at her.

“It’s not to look hot for a lesbian orgy?” Thea asked. “Damn.”

She gained a laugh from all of them for that and Thea ridiculously felt like she achieved something big.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆

The Great Hall was alive in anticipation. It was a relief from the usual tone of mornings nowadays, where a dark and sombre mood settled over everyone as owls brought newspapers which reported awful attacks and yet another missing person.

Spirits bounced back today in hype of the looming Quidditch match. Red and gold streamers were exploding all over the hall as courtesy of the Gryffindor team, and on Thea’s side the Hufflepuffs were chanting and face painting badgers on everyone. It wasn’t limited to the Gryffindor-Hufflepuff side of the hall and the Slytherins and Ravenclaws were melding in, wishing friends luck and starting arguments on who would win.

Kamala was getting the team to have a healthy and cleansing breakfast together (porridge). Edgar and Gideon were painting their entire faces as badgers instead of just having small ones of their cheeks. Thea was eating up the atmosphere with a grin as she ignored her porridge. 

The professors had given up on calming everyone down. Even McGonagall was smiling at the fun. The teams had lined up back to back of each other and they were beautifully shit talking one another. Fabian was completely hammering on Gideon, as brothers do, and Thea herself was talking down Marlene as her opposing beater, per usual. 

The proximity of their tables made it unnecessary for Sirius to get up on his seat and start shouting at Thea, but the king of drama did so anyway. “Are you ready to feel the wrath of a real beater?” He started flexing and kissing his guns.

“Oh yes, I’m worried about the boy who couldn’t make the team until this year.”

“Low blow, Knightley. Low blow.”

“What do you think? We’ll both watch and tag Marlene?” Thea said to Edgar but still looking straight at Sirius with a gleam in her eyes. “I don’t think we should be concentrating our efforts on a last resort.” 

“You’ll eat those words!” He declared pointing sternly at her while letting out a barking laugh.

“Hmm, and what will I get if I don’t?” Thea looking up at Sirius, decided to limit his high ground. She stood grandly on her chair looking across at Sirius with a challenge. 

“Oh we’re doing this?” Sirius was absolutely delighted. “What do you want?”

Without the powerful mood of the room Thea didn’t think she’d be able to do it. In that moment however, she flicked her eyes over Sirius and let a slow smile spread over her face. She said simply, “A date.”

Sirius looked at her, amused. After what felt like an insanely long moment, but more realistically was just a second, he responded. “Bet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next time on atlf: regulus and evan bro it out with evan telling reggie that he'll start looking like a little bitch boi if he doesn't actually date someone (very backwards if I do say so myself) (if my man reg wants to be a sad loner emo then let him). the commencing hogsmeade weekend becomes a teenage drama fest with the two black brothers let lose. their respective dates having no idea what they're in for and neither do you dear readers.


End file.
